Alexis Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
by Lady Sandrilene
Summary: Sequal to 'Alexis Potter and Philosopher's Stone. Alexis starts her second year at Hogwarts, but mysterious events are happening that eventually forces her and her friends to take action. You may want to read my other fic first. Please read and review!
1. Visiting Sophie

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. The fantastic author J.K. Rowling does. I am only borrowing her work to write fanfiction. I am not making money off this. So please don't sue.

Summary: Alexis starts her second year at Hogwarts, after having had the best summer so far in her life. But with a useless DADA teacher and mysterious events going on, her year is bound to be as action-packed and dangerous as the last.

This chapter is dedicated to my sister Amy and amythestpony. All future chapters will also be dedicated to a reviewer. And thanks to Amy for beta-ing this chapter.

Alexis was in the library, doing her summer homework. Her trunk had been left at Mrs. Channing's house, and she had only taken her clothes, toothbrush, and a few other necessary items to the Dursleys. She had decided against bringing her trunk over, because her relatives hated magic and would not like the things connected with the wizarding world in their house. They could very well decide to lock her trunk up.

Alexis finished her History of Magic essay and rolled up the roll of parchment. She wondered if she ought to write another letter to her friends. She sighed, wondering what was going on with the mail. For some reason, none of her friends had written to her. Or if they did, their letters never reached her. The only letter she'd gotten was from Hermione, sent by the Muggle post to the Channing's address, the day before.

Hermione had said that she hadn't received any letters from Alexis, and that their friends reported the same thing. Alexis found the whole thing odd. Hedwig was a very reliable owl and had never failed to deliver a letter before. So why was she suddenly not delivering Alexis's letters to Alexis's friends?

In desperation, Alexis had written to her friends explaining things and had Emma's owl deliver the letters. Since letters weren't reaching her, it would be better if they sent the letters for her to the Channings and have them give her the letters.

"Alexis," said Kyra making the Alexis jump. "Sorry for startling you. Anyway, you have a letter. From your friend Sophie."

"Thanks, Kyra," replied Alexis. She took the letter and opened the envelope. A piece of parchment and an invitation written in elegant calligraphy fell out. She picked up the invitation first, and flipped it over to the front to read:

Your presence is requested for a fête celebrating the twelfth birthday of Miss Sophia Amelia Persephone Kent. It will be held on the sixteenth of July, at two o'clock in the afternoon. You may also spend two weeks at Silver Kent Manor, the date of arrival being the fifteenth of July. A portkey will be arranged. Please R.S.V.P. by the thirteenth of July.

Alexis set aside the invitation and read the letter.

_Dear Alexis_

_How are you doing? I hope things aren't too bad at your aunt and uncle's. Do you have any idea as to what the matter could be regarding your mail? The others have received my letters, and I've received yours, but the only letter I've gotten from you was sent by Emma's owl. Someone or something is interfering with your mail, I think._

_I know you're obviously staying over and attending my party, but send a note to my grandmother that you're coming via Emma's owl anyway. Grandmother was very pleased with my getting the top marks on the exams along with Hermione, so when I asked if my friends could stay for two weeks, she said yes immediately._

_Anyway, I can't wait to see you. Hermione, Ron, Eric, Neville, Ginny, and Luna will be staying over. Daphne Greengrass will be staying over too, because Grandmother invited her. She thinks the two weeks would have a good influence on Daphne. Oh, and Fred and George will be here also. Grandmother says she wants to get to know them, because apparently we're related to the Weasleys. Percy was also invited, but he declined to come._

_We will have a wonderful time together, I'm sure. See you in couple of days!_

_Your good friend,_

_Sophie_

Alexis took a piece of parchment and composed a reply, telling Mrs. Kent that she would be attending the party and staying over. She then put the note in an envelope, sealed it, and asked Kyra to deliver it for her.

That evening, at dinner, Alexis said, "Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, I'll be leaving the day after tomorrow. My friend Sophie invited me to stay two weeks over at her house."

"You're leaving?" demanded Uncle Vernon. "Fine. Nice to get you out of the house."

"But after the two weeks, you will be returning to spend August?" asked Aunt Petunia.

"I guess," responded Alexis. "But I'm not sure, because another of friends also said he was planning to invite me over. I'll write to you if he does."

Uncle Vernon grunted and Aunt Petunia nodded. "Fine then, Alexis," she said.

The next day, Alexis made sure that her things were packed in her trunk and told Hedwig to fly to Sophie's house. Mrs. Kent sent a note. It read,

_Dear Alexis,_

_I will be Apparating tomorrow at ten o'clock with your Portkey. Please have your trunk ready. As it is not convenient to bring your things by Portkey, I will take your trunk along by Appariation. Please inform your aunt and uncle of my arrival._

_Yours truly,_

_Sophia Emmeline Cornelia Prewett Kent_

Alexis told her relatives of Mrs. Kent's arrival. They were not pleased, though as Uncle Vernon had to go to work, he didn't have to deal with it. Aunt Petunia made a tsking noise, then said, "Fine. But she can't stay long. Just to pick you up and leave."

The next morning, after breakfast, Alexis got her trunk from Mrs. Channing and then sat in the living room, waiting for Mrs. Kent to arrive. At precisely ten o'clock, a crack was heard in the back yard, startling Alexis. A minute later, the doorbell rang.

Aunt Petunia opened it. Mrs. Kent was there, dressed in a white blouse, blue jacket, and blue pants, with her hair done in a neat bun. Nothing about her said that she was witch.

"I am Sophia Kent," said Mrs. Kent pleasantly. "You must be Petunia Dursley. I trust your niece, Alexis, has told you that I was coming to pick her up so she could spend a fortnight with my granddaughter. Ah, hello, Alexis. Are your things packed?"

"Yes, Mrs. Kent," answered Alexis, dragging her trunk over.

Mrs. Kent smiled, then turned to Aunt Petunia. "I'll be taking Alexis to my house by a magical way of transport. Since you are probably not used to such methods, you may wish to go to another part of the house, Mrs. Dursley."

"Nobody else will be able to see your way of leaving?" asked Aunt Petunia.

"No, of course not," replied Mrs. Kent. Aunt Petunia nodded and went to the kitchen.

Mrs. Kent reached into her purse and pulled out a Galleon. "This is your Portkey, dear."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kent," said Alexis. "You look very nice."

Mrs. Kent smiled. "What a polite young lady you are, Alexis. This is one of the outfits I wear to church. It's a Muggle church, so I have some Muggle clothes. Now, the Portkey is set to activate –" she glanced at her watch, "– in a minute. Get ready."

Mrs. Kent grabbed the handle of Alexis's trunk. After a minute, Alexis felt a tugging at her navel and the hallway whirled around her. A second later, she disappeared from the Dursleys' house. After a few seconds, she landed in a heap in the hallway. Sophie, Eric, Luna, Neville, and Daphne were standing nearby and helped her up. With a loud crack, Mrs. Kent appeared with Alexis's trunk. She took the Galleon from Alexis.

"I have to go and pick up Hermione now. Sophie, please go see if Ron and Ginny have arrived yet." Mrs. Kent Disapparated and Sophie gestured for her friends to follow her to the living room. A minute later, Ron stepped out of the fireplace, dragging his trunk behind him. Ginny followed several seconds later, and then came Fred and George.

They exchanged greetings, then went back out into the hallway.

A couple of minutes later, Hermione and Mrs. Kent arrived. "Thanks for having us over, Mrs. Kent," said Ginny.

"Aunt Sophia will do, Ginny, Ron, Fred, and George," said Mrs. Kent. "I do believe your mother's maiden name is Prewett?" Ron nodded and she continued, "Well, that means I'm your great-aunt. I'm your mother's aunt, though I haven't seen her since her wedding to your father. I wasn't exactly her favourite aunt, though she liked me better than Muriel. And with so many children to raise, she didn't exactly have the time to visit me."

Ron stared at her, open-mouthed. "You're our great-aunt? Mum mentioned you, but…"

"Yes. And please close your mouth, young man, unless you wish for a fly to fly in. I'm sorry I didn't inform you sooner of this. I know that you've met your Great-Aunt Muriel, but you hadn't met me until the party last year. Unlike her, I don't force myself on people without an invitation, except for social calls. Oh, and that means you cannot show any interest in Sophie beyond friendship, as the two of you are second cousins. I do not approve of such things below the fourth degree of cousinship."

Ron turned as red as his hair and Sophie blushed. Mrs. Kent could be quite frank and blunt at times. Eric stifled a snicker and Alexis and Hermione exchanged looks.

Changing the subject, Mrs. Kent said, "Your rooms are on the same floor as Sophie's. A name card is on each door so you know which room is yours. Tribby has been assigned to take care of your needs. Please be nice to her. If there is anything you need her to do, phrase it as a request. Do not put it as an order. Sophie and I are the only ones who can give them orders, and that is only for extreme cases. If Tribby feels that she needs to be punished, do not allow her to punish herself. She would no doubt try to hit herself or do some other act of self-harm. Send her to me and I will give her a harmless punishment."

As Sophie led everyone upstairs, Hermione and Alexis asked about house-elves. "What did your grandmother mean about Tribby punishing herself, Sophie?" asked Alexis.

"Oh, that's just the nature of house-elves," responded Sophie. "They feel that if they've done something that displeases their master or mistress, they have to be punished. Grandmother doesn't approve of physical punishment, so if one of the house-elves feel that they deserve punishment, she just sets them an extra chore or something.:

"What?" demanded Hermione. "But that's wrong! And the extra chore isn't all that –"

"Hermione," interrupted Sophie, "Grandmother doesn't approve, either. But the house-elves nature insists on some sort of punishment, so she just assigns a chore."

"Besides, house-elves don't mind this sort of thing," said Eric. "In fact, they like it." He made a disgusted face. "Though I do think they should be treated decently. My grandparents are horrible to theirs. It makes me sick and I want to give them clothes."

"Clothes?" asked Alexis and Hermione at the same time, looking confused.

"Oh, that's the only way a house-elf can be set free," answered Sophie. "Sort of like in the story 'The Elves and the Shoemaker.' You know how the elves never showed up again after the shoemaker and his wife made them little outfits and shoes?"

Alexis and Hermione nodded. By that time, they had reached the third floor and the nine of them went to their respective rooms. Alexis went into hers.

The room was papered a pale rose, with a pattern of darker roses. In the left corner was a four-poster bed with pink hangings. Next to it was a dresser and mirror, and next to that a window with pink curtains and a window seat. By the right wall were a bookcase and a wardrobe. In the middle of the room were a table and four chairs.

Alexis set her trunk at the foot of the bed and began hanging up some of her clothes in the wardrobe. After half an hour, Sophie knocked on the door and asked her to the nursery, the only room on the floor large enough for them all without becoming crowded.

Once they were all gathered, Sophie said, "I'm so glad you're all here. I would have gone bored out of my mind. Daphne, we want to get to know you better. So talk."

Daphne shrugged. "I really don't know what to say. I'm in Slytherin, and you guys, except Ginny and Luna, are in Gryffindor. Slytherins and Gryffindors don't get along."

"My father was in Slytherin, and he got along perfectly well with my mother, who was in Gryffindor," said Sophie. "He didn't care at all that both her parents were Muggleborn."

"You're halfblood?" asked Ron in surprise. "I thought you were a pureblood, Sophie."

"Well, my mother's parentage wasn't exactly spread around," said Sophie a trifle acidly. "Now, forget about me. We are going to get to know you better, Daphne."

"Fine," said Daphne. "But could you please answer this first? Why did your grandmother invite me over when I'm not your friend, Sophie, just an acquaintance?"  
"Because you are a nice girl who doesn't act like a stereotypical Slytherin, Daphne," answered Sophie. "And Grandmother thought it would be good for you to be away from your parents for a couple of weeks. And I do want to know you better."

Daphne sighed. "Okay, but I really have no idea what to say so you can know me better, besides stupid stuff like my favourite colour or favourite food."

"The best way to know someone is to just spend time with them," said Luna in a dreamy voice. "If you like them and enjoy being with them, then they become your friends."

The others stared at her. Then Alexis said, "You're right, Luna. How wise of you."

Luna shrugged and then got up to gaze out the window. Sophie looked around the room. "Does anyone want to play Exploding Snap?" she asked, picking up a deck of cards. As they played, Alexis told Ginny, Luna, and Daphne exactly what had happened when she faced Voldemort/Quirrell. Daphne and Ginny looked horrified.

After an hour long game, Tribby appeared. "Lunch is ready, young masters and mistresses," she said, curtseying. She was wearing a blue pillowcase that had been fashioned into a dress of sorts, a spotless and starched white apron, and a frilled white cap.

"Thank you, Tribby," said Sophie. "And you don't have to call us 'young masters and mistresses.' My friends aren't your owners. Miss or Mister and then first name will do."

"Tribby is sorry, Miss Sophie," replied Tribby, curtseying again and twisting her apron nervously. "Tribby must punish herself for this."

"No you don't, Tribby," snapped Sophie. "You haven't done anything wrong. Now, could you please go do whatever you're supposed to be doing now?"

Tribby nodded and went to call the twins to lunch. As the nine of them went downstairs, Sophie remarked, "I have no idea why house-elves have to act like this. I know they like it and enjoy their servitude, but it doesn't make me feel any better about it."

"Why not set house-elves free?" asked Hermione. "It would solve all this."

"It wouldn't solve anything," said Sophie patiently. "Hermione, I know you mean well, but you have the wrong idea. House-elves simply do not want to be set free. Well, I'm sure there are a few who have cruel masters and want to be free. But the majority of house-elves don't. And even the ones that do want freedom would just go find a nice family who'd treat them well if they were given clothes."

Hermione opened her mouth to reply, but they arrived at the dining room then. Mrs. Kent was sitting at the head of the table, which was set for twelve. She had changed out of the suit and was now wearing pale silver robes.

She stood up, a pleasant smile on her face. "This isn't a formal meal or anything, dears. However, I have set out place cards at each setting so you know where to sit."

Alexis found her seat, which was opposite Sophie's, next to Ginny, and on Mrs. Kent's left. A bowl of tomato soup was in front of her, with a silver soup spoon next to it. The bowl itself was white porcelain, with a gold rim and blue flowers around the edge. Next to it was a small plate from the same set with two crackers. On the other side of the soup was a crystal goblet of water.

Ron reached for his spoon, but stopped as Mrs. Kent cleared her throat. "Please bow your heads as I say grace." They quickly lowered their heads and folded their hands. Mrs, Kent said, "Lord, we thank thee for the bounty we are about to receive. Please watch over us and bless us in all our endeavours. Grant us long and fruitful lives. Amen."

Everyone repeated the "Amen," and then began eating. Nobody spoke for several minutes. Then Mrs. Kent broke the silence. "Ron, Ginny, Fred, and George, how are your parents? Your father works in the Ministry, I believe?"

"Yes, Mrs. – I mean Aunt Sophia," responded Ginny. "He's the head of the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts Office. And he and Mum are fine."

Mrs. Kent raised a brow. "So Arthur is still very interested in Muggles?" That was a polite way to put it, for as Ron and Ginny had told Alexis, their dad was obsessed with everything Muggle. Alexis had gotten three letters from Mr. Weasley the past year asking questions about Muggles and Muggle stuff.

"Yes, Aunt Sophia," answered Ron. "Dad loves his job very much."

"I suppose, but the job doesn't pay very much. And your family is quite large. Well, Fred and George, tell me something of yourselves. I know about Ron from Sophie's letters, but I don't know anything about you except that you have a penchant for pranks."

"Erm, yeah, George and I like to play pranks," said Fred.

"Maybe it's because our birthdays are on April Fool's Day," added George.

Mrs. Kent raised a brow. "Well, don't go about playing pranks while you're here. I do not tolerate practical jokes of any kind. Sophie made the mistake of playing some pranks when she was younger, and I was rather annoyed with it."

"We won't," said Fred with a mischievous grin. "But I wish we could."

"You see, we want to open a joke shop someday, Aunt Sophia," said George.

Mrs. Kent actually laughed, showing that she did have a sense of humour. "Well, perhaps you can play some pranks while you're here, so long as it's not on me or any of the house-elves. You're going to need practice if you want to have a successful joke shop. When you graduate from Hogwarts, contact me and I'll see if I can't lend you some money to help you get your store running." Her eyes twinkled merrily.

Sophie stared at her grandmother in shock. This was a new side of Mrs. Kent.

By that time, they were done with the soup course. Mrs. Kent rang a silver bell by her side and a house elf, dressed in tea towel draped like a toga, appeared. "This is Barry. He is in charge of waiting on the table, cooking, and other kitchen duties. Barry, could you please clear the table and bring the main course?"

Barry bowed, then with a snap of his fingers, the bowls, spoons, and cracker plates disappeared. Then with another snap of his finger, plates and utensils appeared. The plates were the same pattern as the soup bowls, and the utensils were silver. Another snap of his fingers made three pitchers and several platters of food appear. Barry bowed again, and then he turned and returned to the kitchen.

"Help yourselves," said Mrs. Kent. "The pitchers have apple juice, milk, and ice water."

Alexis poured her goblet full of juice, then filled her plate with a few slices of chicken, a helping of mixed vegetables, a serving of peas, and a small ladleful of gravy.

After a few bites, Mrs. Kent resumed conversation, this time with Alexis. "How has your summer been so far, Alexis? I trust your relatives haven't been bothering you?"

"My summer has been fine, Mrs. Kent," replied Alexis. "My relatives have mainly ignored me, except when my aunt informed me that it was mealtime."

Mrs. Kent tsked. "Well, that's better than their showing their disapproval of you. Sophie has informed me that your relatives do not like magic at all and therefore do not like you, since you're a witch. She hasn't told me how they expressed their disapproval, however."

Alexis did not like the way the conversation was headed, but fortunately, Sophie rescued her. "Grandmother, are my godparents coming to my party tomorrow?"

"Yes, they are. And kindly do not interrupt when I'm talking with someone, Sophia. Now, where was I? Ah, yes. Alexis, if your relatives cause you any trouble, please let me know. I have connections in the Ministry and can get you removed from their care."

"I will, Mrs. Kent," responded Alexis. "And thank you."

There was a minute's silence, and then Mrs. Kent began talking with Eric and Daphne. After half an hour, Barry was summoned again. He cleared the table and brought in dessert, which was strawberry ice and a goblet of fresh fruit each. To drink was lemonade.

When they were done, Mrs. Kent wiped her mouth with her napkin and rose. "You may amuse yourselves however you like until teatime, as long as you aren't too noisy or cause destruction. You may go flying if you wish, as long as you don't fly too high and attract the attention of the Muggles down in the village. I will be taking a nap, so please do not disturb me unless it's absolutely necessary. Sophie, you will still have to practice piano for an hour after tea. Your friends can amuse themselves for an hour without you."

The eleven of them went outside. After walking about the grounds, they decided to go flying, except for Neville and Hermione. Neville still had a fear of flying, and Hermione didn't have a broom. The two of them sat under a tree and watched the others fly. They threw a football around, as they couldn't use real Quidditch balls. In place of the Snitch, a golf ball was used, and Alexis caught it each time the others threw it.

At three-thirty, they put their brooms away and went inside. At four o'clock was tea with tea, cress sandwiches, biscuits, and strawberry shortcake. It was taken in a drawing room, and as Mrs. Kent was having her tea in her room, the eleven of them chattered throughout. Finally, at fifteen minutes to five, Mrs. Kent and Barry appeared.

"Tea has gone on long enough. Sophia, go practice the piano immediately, or you won't have enough time before dinner. Barry, clear the tea things, please. The rest of you, go find some way to amuse yourselves until dinner." She looked annoyed.

Sophie instantly got up and went to the piano in the corner to start practicing. The others left the drawing room. Fred and George went off to do some exploring of the house, while Alexis, her friends, and Daphne played Exploding Snap and Gobstones.


	2. The Birthday Party

This chapter is dedicated to the first reviewer of this fic, Elspeth 25.

Alexis woke early the next morning, at five, and as she couldn't fall back asleep again, got up. She settled on the window seat and after awhile, was able to see a glorious sunrise. It looked as if it was going to be a beautiful day for Sophie's birthday party. Alexis grinned, and took out the present she'd gotten for Sophie from her trunk and laid it on the table. Then she took out _Mattimeo_, the book Mrs. Channing had given her as a welcome home present, and read until eight o'clock.

After showering, brushing her teeth, and getting dressed, Tribby appeared and told her that breakfast was at nine o'clock. Alexis left the room five minutes later and entered the dining room in time to see Barry and another elf setting the table. The second elf, dressed identically to Tribby, introduced herself as Kitty and said that it was a great honour to meet the famous Alexis Potter.

The others drifted in during the next three or four minutes. Mrs. Kent arrived just as the clock struck nine and took her seat at the head of the table. "Many happy returns, Sophie. Good morning, everyone. Please sit down. In the future, breakfast is at eight-thirty. For today, it is half an hour later because it is Sophie's birthday and I decided to let you all sleep in a bit."

Everyone sat down and Mrs. Kent proceeded to say grace. Then she poured orange juice into Sophie's goblet and heaped Sophie's plate with cinnamon rolls, scrambled eggs, sausages, and a crepe rolled around fruit and topped with whipped cream. "Here you are, dear." She gestured at the platters and said, "Don't be shy. Help yourselves, everyone. Oh, and don't expect bacon for breakfast or at any other meal. I never serve it, because I find it far too unhealthy, what with all the fat and cholesterol in it."

Alexis looked at Mrs. Kent, surprised. She was also slightly puzzled, because she didn't know what cholesterol was at all, other than that it was bad for you and could cause a heart attack if too much of it blocked your blood vessels. "What's cholesterol?" asked Ron.

"It's something in certain foods that can be bad for you," said Hermione in her know-it-all voice. "Too much of it could end up blocking an area of your bloodstream and you could get a heart attack or stroke and possibly die."

"That is correct, Hermione," said Mrs. Kent. "Which is why I rarely serve unhealthy foods. Oh, and don't expect to see red meat, either, other than the occasional lamb chop or roast beef. And I never serve anything with pork in it. That is the unhealthiest of all the red meats. The sausages I serve are made from poultry, like chicken and turkey. Now, let's talk of other things."

Sophie grinned. "So what should we talk about? Of shoes and ships and sealing wax? Or of cabbages and kings? Or why the sea is boiling hot and whether pigs have wings?"

Alexis had read _Alice in Wonderland_, and therefore understood the reference. Mrs. Kent frowned slightly, but then smiled. "All right, Sophie. That is enough. Besides, none of your friends, besides Alexis and Hermione, have any idea as to what you're talking about." She turned to the others and said, "Sophie's referring to a Muggle poem entitled 'The Walrus and the Carpenter.' It's included in a Muggle book, _Alice in Wonderland_."

There was a few minutes silence as everyone started eating. Then Alexis happened to look up and saw that Eric's hair was flashing bright green, neon pink, and canary yellow. She stifled an urge to laugh and said, "Um, Eric, something's the matter with your hair."

They all looked at Eric. Fred and George burst into laughter, and Ginny and Sophie giggled. Luna began laughing as well. Ron and Neville kept straight faces, but it was obvious they thought it funny as well. Alexis and Hermione exchanged looks.

"It seems that you've been the subject of a prank, Mr. Carrow," Mrs. Kent said mildly. She kept a straight face, but from the way the corner of her mouth quirked, she found it amusing. She gestured at the mirror on the way and Eric went to check his reflection.

Eric chuckled when he saw his hair. Mrs. Kent summoned Barry. "Do you have any idea as to what happened to Eric? I order you to tell me what happened if you do."

Barry gave the twins a penitent look, then answered, "The Wheezy twins came in the kitchen. They is asking Barry to put something in a cup."

Mrs. Kent turned to Fred and George. "So, you two pulled a prank that made Eric's hair flash different colours." She picked up her napkin and covered her mouth, but not before Alexis spotted the beginnings of a smile. Mrs. Kent's shoulders shook a few seconds later, and it was obvious that she was indulging in silent laughter.

A minute later, she composed herself. "It was amusing, I suppose. However, I would like the two of you to not play any more pranks today. It is Sophie's birthday and I do not want anything to disrupt the day, even if it is rather amusing. Now, about the prank."

"It'll wear off in a few minutes," said George hastily. "Sorry, Eric."

"It's all right," said Eric, grinning. "I'll get the two of you back tomorrow."

"Fine, but I don't want a prank war in my house for the next two weeks," said Mrs. Kent firmly. "Now, hurry up and finish breakfast. Sophie's godparents will be here at ten."

Everyone turned their attention back to the food and quickly finished eating. After, they went to the living room to await the arrival of Sophie's godparents.

Ten minutes later, there was a crack and a couple appeared in the room, each carrying two presents. Sophie jumped up from the couch and flung her arms around the woman, who just had enough time to set her gifts on the table next to her. "Happy birthday, Sophie," she said, smiling. She had auburn hair arranged in a crown and grey-green eyes.

Sophie let go and threw her arms around the man, who had brown hair and mischievous hazel eyes. "Happy birthday. So how's my favourite goddaughter doing?" he asked.

"I'm your only goddaughter, Uncle Caleb," giggled Sophie. She stepped back and turned to the others. "This is my godfather, Caleb Moscowitz. He was my father's best friend. And this is my godmother, Katherine Walters Moscowitz. She was Mum's best friend."

"Just call us by our first names," said Sophie's godmother cheerfully. "It makes us feel old whenever calls us Mr. and Mrs. Moscowitz. I prefer to be called Kat, however."

Sophie introduced her friends and Fred and George. Mrs. Kent came in then. "Good morning, Caleb." Her voice was a trifle frosty, but it disappeared as she said, "Good morning, Kat. It is a pleasure to see you again."

Sophie whispered to Alexis, "Grandmother doesn't really approve of Uncle Caleb. She thinks he's a bad influence and everything to me. But she likes Aunt Kat."

Considering that he had secretly given Sophie an invisibility cloak, Alexis could see why. It was a good thing Mrs. Kent approved of her and Sophie's other friends. On the other hand, Mrs. Kent hadn't been angry about the prank Fred and George pulled earlier. In fact, she had been amused. Shouldn't she have been annoyed and think that they would be bad influences on Sophie? Then Alexis remembered that the twins were Mrs. Kent's grand-nephews, and as relatives, she couldn't disapprove of them the same way.

"Well," said Mrs. Kent, "let's all go outside and enjoy the beautiful day." They went out to the back yard, where a croquet course had been set up.

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Grandmother, I don't really like playing croquet."

Mrs. Kent sighed. "It is a lady-like activity, Sophia. But as it is your birthday, I suppose you can decide on how to amuse yourself, within reason."

Sophie cheered until her grandmother gave her a sharp look. Then she declared, "I want to go flying. Hermione, you can borrow a broom. And Neville, I'm going to teach you how to fly and you won't have to be afraid of it anymore."

Mrs. Kent shook her head and then she sat down on a lawn chair. The others went out to the broom shed. Sophie took out her old Cleansweep Four and handed it to Ginny. Then she lent Hermione her mother's Comet Two Fifty. "Ron, would you mind lending Neville your Shooting Star? You can ride my father's Cleansweep One."

Sophie proceeded to teach Neville how to fly, with help from Alexis. Neville was very nervous, but with help, managed to get up off the ground and hovered about three feet above the grass. After more words of encouragement, he went up to seven feet and began tentatively flying about. Sophie and Eric flew close by to catch him if he should slip.

Neville grew more confident as time passed and began enjoying flying.

At noon, Mrs. Kent called everyone to come down. "You've been flying long enough. Besides, it's lunchtime."

Everyone landed and put the brooms away. Then they gathered around a table that had been set up next to the house. A banner with "HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SOPHIE!" hung on the wall, with balloons tied to the ends. The table was set with blue willowware china.

Mrs. Kent poured lemonade in the glass tumblers and placed two triangle-shaped sandwiches, carrot sticks, a helping of potato salad, and a quiche on each plate. For dessert was fresh fruit. After serving everyone, Mrs. Kent disappeared into the house.

A few minutes into the meal, Caleb discovered that Fred and George were pranksters. "So, you guys must have caused a bit of mayhem, then? David, that's Sophie's father, and I played some pranks while we were at Hogwarts. Mostly during our first two years. Then we got overshadowed due to your father starting, Alexis. He and his three friends caused quite a bit of mayhem. Well, it was mainly your father and his best friend Sirius that caused the trouble, but their two other friends occasionally took part in it."

Kat rolled her eyes. "All right, Caleb, don't start giving Fred and George advice on pranking. Mrs. Kent already disapproves of you. You don't need to annoy her further."

"Well, what is she going to do?" asked Caleb. "Forbid me from seeing Sophie? She's not going to do that. Besides, I've stopped giving Sophie prank ideas or stuff to help her with pulling pranks lately. And you know Mrs. Kent doesn't hate me. I was David's best friend and like him, was one of the very few decent Slytherins. You know my family disowned me for marrying someone who was not only a halfblood, but also not Jewish."

"I converted, you prat," said Kat with a laugh.

"My parents wanted one or both," said Caleb. "If you'd been pureblood but not Jewish, they would have accepted it, but would have wanted you to convert. If you were Jewish but not a pureblood, they would have accepted it, as long as you weren't a Muggle. You were neither, even though you did convert."

"Okay, that's enough," said Kat. "Hermione, Sophie says you're one of the top students in the year. You're a great deal like Amelia. Sophie's mother, that is. Both of you are Muggleborn, in Gryffindor, and brilliant enough to be a Ravenclaw."

Hermione looked flattered. Sophie remarked, "Maybe that's why I'm friends with you, Hermione. Because you're a lot like my mum."

After lunch, they walked about the grounds for half an hour, then played Quidditch. Well, Neville, Hermione, Luna, and Daphne didn't play and merely watched the others.

Three hoops had been set up at one end of the lawn. Ron played Keeper, Sophie, Eric, and Ginny were Chasers, and Alexis, Fred, and George played their regular positions. The Quidditch balls had all been spelled to not leave the grounds.

Ginny and Sophie turned out to be excellent Chasers. Fred, George, and Ron expressed their surprise at how good Ginny was, for they'd never let her play with them before. Alexis hid a smile, for she knew how Ginny had gotten so good. In a letter, Ginny had written that she'd been breaking into the broomshed since the age of six and had secretly flown on her brothers' brooms behind their backs.

Eric turned out to be a rotten Chaser. Every time he attempted to score, he either missed the goalposts entirely or Ron was able to block the Quaffle quite easily. With Ginny and Sophie, Ron missed about a third of their attempts at the goal.

After awhile, George suggested that Eric take a turn as Beater. Eric turned out to be a fair Beater. He could hit the Bludgers every time they came near him, though there were a few times when he didn't hit all that hard. Then Eric took a turn as Keeper and did worse than Ron. He missed half of Ginny and Sophie's attempts at the goal. When he did block the attempts, it was only barely.

Finally, Eric tried being Seeker. Alexis spotted the Snitch first every time, except for once. The one time that Eric saw the Snitch first, Alexis still captured it before him, because of her faster broom. (Eric's broom was a Cleansweep Seven.)

At three-thirty, Mrs. Kent came outside. "Everyone, come down!" she called. When everyone had landed, she continued, "Wash up, then change into some dressy clothes. The cake and presents part of the party will be starting in forty-five minutes."

They put the brooms away and then went upstairs to change. Alexis took a shower, then took out the her two best outfits, the amethyst dress robes and a light dress of a white, pale green, and pale blue swirled and wavy pattern. After a few minutes of indecision, she decided on the dress and put it on. After tying her ebony curls back with a blue ribbon and putting on her charm bracelet, she went downstairs with her present.

Sophie was already in the living room, dressed in a pink satin dress. Her hair was not in its usual braid, but instead fell in long curls down her back and tied with a pink ribbon.

The others drifted downstairs in the next few minutes. Ron was wearing his dress robes from Christmas and didn't look very happy about it. Ginny's pale green robes were obviously second-hand as well, but in a better condition.

Mrs. Kent entered, looking elegant in sapphire dress robes and her hair done up in a knot. Sapphire earrings flashed at her ears and a gorgeous sapphire necklace graced her neck. A silver and sapphire butterfly brooch was pinned at the collar of her robes. "As it's so lovely today, we'll have the cake and presents outside," she said.

The presents were put on a round table a short distance away from the table with the cake. It was a two-decker one, chocolate with whipped cream frosting. Pink icing roses and candy in the shape of Snitches and Quaffles decorated the cake. Twelve lit candles were placed between the roses and candy.

Everyone sang "Happy Birthday", and then Sophie made a wish and blew out all the candles. "What was your wish, Sophie?" asked Ron.

Sophie laughed. "I can't tell you, Ron, or my wish won't come true." Kat removed the candles, then Sophie cut the cake, placing a slice on each plate and handing them out.

The cake was delicious, and there was enough for everyone to have a second slice. When they were done, Barry came and cleared the table. Then everyone moved to the round table, where Sophie began unwrapping her presents. The first two were from her grandmother. In one was a set of blue robes, dress shoes, a silver and sapphire necklace, and a pretty carved fan with a pattern of bluebells. The other contained an etiquette book and a folder of piano music. Sophie thanked her grandmother, but it was obvious she was only being polite and didn't really like her presents all that much, except for the necklace.

The next two were from her godmother. The first contained a cosmetics kit, complete with eyeliner, blush, two tubes of lipstick, two tubes of lip-gloss, mascara, and four tubes of nail polish. The other was a charm bracelet and a pair of earrings. Next were her godfather's presents, a box of products from Zonko's Joke Shop and a box of Honeydukes' best sweets. Mrs. Kent frowned at the joke products, but didn't say anything.

Sophie then proceeded to unwrap the remaining presents. From Alexis was the _Song of the Lioness_ quartet. Hermione's gift was a thick book that reminded Alexis of _War and Peace _and Neville's was a book on Herbology. Ron's gift was a box of Chocolate Frogs and Eric's was a luxurious quill pen and a diary. Luna's present was a two month's subscription to _The Quibbler_ and a painting of what was supposed to be nargles nesting in bunches of mistletoe. Ginny's gift was a box of Sugar Quills and Fred and George's gift also was a box of sweets, but they were trick ones. Daphne's present was a music box painted with angels flying around red roses.

Sophie thanked everyone for their wonderful gifts. Mrs. Kent raised a brow over the twins' gift, but didn't comment on it. She merely said, "Just don't use any of the sweets or joke products on me, Sophie. Or cause trouble with them at school. It's already bad enough you were caught out-of-bounds by Filch in May and lost all those points from Minerva, I mean Professor McGonagall."

"I won't, Grandmother," answered Sophie, but the mischievous look she darted at Alexis showed that she intended to cause some mayhem, most likely on the Slytherins. Alexis was in complete symphathy, and wondered what Malfoy would look like if he was all red and gold. She would definitely get a good laugh out of that.

Sophie went inside to put her gifts away, and then she and the others spent the two hours until dinner playing Gobstones and building a house of cards from the Exploding Snap deck. Eric had just placed the last card when the deck exploded, singing his eyebrows and the sleeves of his robes. Sophie quickly fixed them. "But we're not supposed to do magic outside of school!" protested Hermione.

Sophie grinned mischievously. "Well, I'm not going to get a warning letter for it, because the Ministry will assume the magic was done by my grandmother or one of the house-elves. It's only in a Muggle area that the Ministry can really detect underage magic. So the only person that can enforce the underage magic rule in a magical household would be a parent or guardian."

Fred and George blinked, then exchanged identical wicked looks. This piece of information meant that they could do magic at home, so long as they weren't caught at it by their parents. Eric and Daphne were the only ones who weren't surprised by this. Alexis wasn't sure about Luna, because her eyebrows made her look slightly surprised most of the time.

"Which means," continued Sophie, "that you guys can do magic while you're here, so long as my grandmother and the house-elves don't catch you at it." The twins looked as if their birthday had come early, while Hermione looked uncertain. On one hand, she didn't want to break the rules, but on the other, she wouldn't be caught at it by the Ministry.

Tribby appeared then, informing them that it was dinnertime. Hermione's uncertain look disappeared and they all went downstairs to the dining room. Kat and Caleb left not long after dinner, for they had work the next day. After, the eleven kids scattered to do thier individual activites, which involved reading for Alexis. Sophie also read, starting with the quartet Alexis had given her, and Hermione explored the treasure trove of books in the library.

At ten o'clock, Mrs. Kent appeared, dressed in a quilted red silk dressing gown. "I want everyone to go to bed. Whether or not you sleep if up to you, but I want you all to at least be in your rooms and in bed. Good night."

Alexis took the book she had borrowed from the library up to her room with her and read until midnight, which was when she felt sleepy. She marked her place and then turned out the light, having thoroughly enjoyed celebrating Sophie's birthday.


	3. Dobby's Warning and Religion Issues

Author's Note: Most of Dobby's visit is taken from _Chamber of Secrets._ My muse, (namely my sister), is the one who suggested what you will find out about Eric and insisted I included it. Since it was a good idea, I did, and hope all the readers of this fic like it. This fic is dedicated to my second reviewer for this fic, Lady Alianne.

The two weeks at the Kent home passed rather quickly. Eric got Fred and George back for their prank by putting itching powder in their pajamas. The twins, ignoring what Mrs. Kent had said about not wanting a prank war, retaliated by making Eric's tongue grow four feet long before shrinking it back. Eric then made the twins' robes flash all the colors of the rainbow, and the prank war began. It ended four pranks later, when Mrs. Kent realized what was going on and put a stop to it by threatening to send them home.

On Sunday, Mrs. Kent and Sophie went to church in the village, and Hermione, Alexis, Ginny, Luna, and Neville went with them. Eric, Ron, and Daphne weren't interested, and Mrs. Kent refused to let the twins come, afraid that they might try to cause mayhem during the service. Alexis listened attentively as the vicar talked about some of the miracles Jesus Christ had performed, and thought that a witch or wizard could feed five thousand people from five small loaves and two fishes or turn water into wine. However, raising people from the dead was not something a witch or wizard could accomplish.

The vicar continued on about how Jesus had come to save people from their sins and that His miracles proved that He was the Son of God. Alexis was uncertain about all this. Historically, Jesus had existed and was a real person, and Alexis knew that. However, she wasn't quite ready to believe that He was the Christ and the Son of God. In fact, she wasn't quite sure she believed in the existance of God, either. After all, if He did exist, why did He allow her to be brought up with horrible relatives that abused her? On the other hand, it could be argued that He had brought Mrs. Channing into her life, to make up for what her relatives did.

All this ended up giving Alexis a headache, and she decided to ponder over all this religion stuff at a later time. For now, she believed that some Higher Power had created the universe and everything in it and would leave it at that. Whether that Higher Power was God, she would decide later. She suppressed a sigh, and glanced at Mrs. Kent, who was focusing all her attention on the vicar and appeared to believe everything he said. It looked as if she was a Christian.

After the church service, they returned to the Kent home and had lunch, which had been prepared the day before. Apparently Mrs. Kent followed the Bible on Sunday being the day of rest and the house-elves had the day off.

When lunch was over, Fred and George went off to do their own things and the others went to the nursery. "Sophie, do you have any aunts and uncles?" asked Hermione. "I've been meaning to ask you before, but forgot."

"Yes, I do," replied Sophie. "My mother has a brother, but he didn't like the fact that Mum was a witch and moved to Canada and would have nothing to do with her. My father had two sisters. Aunt Cordelia was ten years older than Dad. She was a very sweet and wonderful person, and I loved her greatly. But Aunt Cordy died when I was seven during her work as an Auror. My other aunt was named Delilah and was two years older than Dad. She got Sorted into Slytherin like him, but unlike him, didn't turn out decent. She fell in with the wrong crowd, swallowed everything they said about purebloods being the best, and got disowned by my grandparents for it. She said she was willing to join You-Know-Who, tried to get her parents and siblings to join with her, and when they refused, called them fools, and left, saying she was going to marry into the Carrow s or Malfoys or a similiar family. I have no idea what happened to her after that, other than that she died in 1981."

"My mother's name was Delilah," said Eric slowly. "My grandparents didn't tell me her maiden name, though. All I know is her first name's Delilah, she came from a respectable pureblood family, and was disowned by them for siding with You-Know-Who."

Sophie jumped up, rummaged through her toy chest, and pulled out a thick tome from the very bottom. "This is a copy of the Prewett family tree. The Kent family tree book is in the library. Anyway, I found this in a box of my grandmother's old things, and hid it so she wouldn't blot out Aunt Delilah's name like she did in the Kent family book. That's how I found about her. I saw the blotted out part and asked Grandmother about it."

She flipped through it and stopped at a page toward the back. "Here is is!" She pointed, and the others crowded around to look. Written in blue ink was the name Delilah Emmeline Kent. Below the name was the date of birth, May 29, 1955, and underneath that was the date of death, September 2, 1981. Next to the name were two gold links connecting it to the name Amycus Carrow, showing that she had married him. Eric gasped. "Does this mean I'm your cousin, Sophie?" he demanded.

"It's very probable," answered Sophie. "But we're not one hundred percent certain. Whenever a daughter of the family has children, the children and who they married appear in the family book, but then it goes no further. They don't record any births for them. If your name were written here, then we'd know for certain. And it's no use looking in the Kent family book, since Aunt Delilah's name got blotted out. Once a name is blotted out, nothing more appears connected to that person."

"There is a spell that allows you to see if you're related," said Daphne. "You could tell your grandmother what you and Eric found out, Sophie, and have her do the spell to see if Eric's related to you."

Sophie's eyes lit up. "Great idea! Thanks, Daphne." She grabbed Eric's hand and dragged him downstairs. The others followed them out of curiousity.

Mrs. Kent raised a brow when Sophie and Eric explained things. "So Eric could be my grandson? I don't find it likely, though I suppose it is possible. And I wouldn't mind having you for a grandson, Eric. Fine, I'll do the spell." She turned to the others and explained the spell. "A gold glow means a parent-child relationship. Silver is a sibling relation and gray a half-sibling. Blue is an uncle or aunt and niece or nephew relation. Red is grandparent-grandchild. A violet glow is a first-cousin relation, and the shade would determine if it was once-removed or something. Green would mean second-cousinship, orange means third, and yellow fourth. Fifth cousinship or more is a brown glow. A very pale color would mean cousin by marriage. If the glow is black or white, it means no blood relation, or there is one, but it's very tiny and trivial. Like if two families intermarried ten generations ago or something similiar."

Mrs. Kent then performed the spell and a scarlet glow surrounded her and Eric. It looked as if they were grandmother and grandson. Then she did the spell on him and Sophie, and a deep purple glow appeared around them. They were first cousins, and the deep color meant that there was no once-removed or whatever involved. Next, the spell was done on Eric and Ron, and a bright green glow appeared around them, showing that they were second cousins.

"Well, well, it looks as if you are related, Eric. I'm your grandmother, you're first cousins to Sophie, and second cousins to the Weasleys. Well, the younger ones, anyway. Molly would be your first cousin once-removed. I expected a brown or white glow, because all pureblood families are related and a Kent must have married a Carrow in the distant past. But I certainly wasn't expecting this. Anyway, this means you won't be calling me Mrs. Kent anymore, Eric. You'll call me Grandmother like Sophie does." Then because the others were curious, Mrs. Kent performed the spell several times on them all.

Ron and Ginny glowed a bright silver. Alexis glowed brown with Neville, Daphne, and Ginny, and white with Sophie, Luna, and Eric, meaning that their families had been closely related in the far distant past. With Hermione, Alexis glowed black, and Hermione glowed black with everyone except Sophie. There, the two glowed white, and they surmised that in the far distant past one of Hermione's ancestors and one of Sophie's mother's ancestors had married. Ron and Ginny glowed a light yellow with Neville, tan with Luna, and white with Daphne.

Fred and George were later told about it, and they were very suprised to find out that Eric was their second cousin. In the meantime, Mrs. Kent took Eric aside several times to talk to him so she could get to know her grandson better. Sophie was absolutely delighted that he was her cousin, though she remarked jokingly, "It's a pity that you're my first cousin now, because that means we can't ever fall in love and get married. If you were my fifth cousin, then we could." Eric had turned crimson, even though he knew it was a joke.

Mrs. Kent wrote to the Carrows, informing them that she had discovered that Eric was her grandson, and that she insisted on his visiting every summer and that he be given a choice of spending Christmas with her or with them. Since grandparents had certain rights in the wizarding world, Eric's paternal grandparents grudgingly agreed, to his delight.

On Friday, Neville's grandmother arrived to take tea with Mrs. Kent. While Mrs. Longbottom was there, she invited Neville's friends, including his new ones (Ginny, Luna, and Daphne), to spend a week at her house. While they were there, they would celebrate Neville's and Alexis's birthdays, as both were at the end of July. Alexis and Sophie accepted right away, while the others wrote to their parents and guardians for permission. The Weasleys, Grangers, Greengrasses, Carrows, and Mr. Lovegood gave their permission.

When Sunday came again, Alexis accompanied Mrs. Kent and Sophie to church. She listened as the vicar talked about how Adam and Eve had eaten from the Tree of Knowledge, causing God to cast them from the Garden of Eden. He continued that because of Adam and Eve, humans had sinned, and went on how only Jesus could cleanse you of the sins. By the time the service was over, Alexis began debating whether or not she wanted to become a Christian.

During lunch, she was rather silent, thinking over what the vicar had said. Was Jesus really the Christ and had been sent by God to die for everyone's sins? Did God really create the universe in six days and rest on the seventh? Was everything else in the Bible true, like David fighting Goliath and Moses leading the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt? In a historical sense, Jesus's apostles, like Simon Peter and Paul had existed, but did they really perform miracles in Christ's name?

By the time Barry brought in dessert, Alexis had a headache again from all the questions she was debating over. Basically, it all boiled down to faith and logic. She couldn't exactly go back into time to see if Jesus and his apostoles really did perform miracles or if Eve had been tricked by the serpent into eating from the Tree of Knowledge. If she believed that all of it was true, then it was a matter of Faith. Alexis looked at Hermione, then at Luna. Hermione was a logical person, and would believe in things if there was proof. Luna, on the other hand, was not a logical person, and took things on faith. That was why many people considered her to be an oddball.

Alexis sighed, knowing that she between the two extremes. She picked at her apple pie, wondering what she should do. Mrs. Kent interrupted her thoughts. "Alexis, you're not eating your pie. Is something the matter? Or are you too full to eat any more?"

Alexis looked up. "Mrs. Kent, is everything the Bible says true? Should I become a Christian?"

Mrs. Kent looked suprised, but answered, "Yes, the Bible is true. All Christians believe it. As to your becoming a Christian, I think you should. It would do you good. However, the decision rests with you. Nobody can force you to accept Jesus into your heart and ask Him to cleanse you of your sins. That is why God gave humans free will."

"Thank you, Mrs. Kent," replied Alexis. She finished her slice of pie and decided to think over things before she could figure out if she wanted to become a Christian or not.

A game of chess with Ron an hour later drove all other thoughts from her head and she didn't dwell on the issue of religion for the rest of her stay. On Monday afternoon, Alexis was in her room, reading, when there was suddenly a loud pop. She looked up, expecting to see Tribby, but instead it was a house-elf she had never seen before, wearing a ragged and dirty pillowcase.

"Er, hello," said Alexis, staring at him. This elf apparently belonged to a wizarding family that didn't treat him very nicely.

"Alexis Potter!" said the house elf. "So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, miss ... Such an honor it is ..."

"It may be an honor, but I really don't know what your name is," she responded. "So could you please tell me?"

"Dobby, miss. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," replied the creature.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Dobby," said Alexis pleasantly. "Please sit down. Why are you here?"

To her horror, Dobby burst into tears - very noisy tears. "S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never ... never ever ..." It was even more apparent that Dobby had never been treated nicely before, and Alexis felt a brief flare of anger. Why couldn't all house-elves be treated the way Mrs. Kent and Sophie treated their elves?

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I didn't mean to offend you or anything. I was just being polite."

"Offend Dobby!" choked the elf. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a wizard - like an equal -"

"Well, it's about time you were treated like an equal," said Alexis, patting Dobby and ushering him to sit on the bed. She wondered if one of her friends would hear Dobby and come to investigate. "I suppose you've never met many decent witches and wizards?"

Dobby shook his head. Then, without warning, he leapt up and started banging his head furiously on the window, shouting, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!"

"Don't - what are you doing?" Alexis hissed, springing up and pulling Dobby back onto the bed.

"Dobby had to punish himself, miss," said the elf, which had gone slightly cross-eyes. "Dobby almost spoke ill of his family, sir ..."

Alexis remembered what Mrs. Kent and Sophie had told her about house elves. "Well, could you not do that here, please? You can punish yourself when you return home, Dobby. And the punishment could be an extra chore. Does your family know you're here?"

Dobby shuddered. "Oh no, miss, no ... Dobby will have to punish himself most grievously for coming to see you, miss. Dobby will have to shut his ears in the oven door for this. If they ever knew, miss -"

"But won't they notice if you shut your ears in the oven door?"

"Dobby doubts it, miss. Dobby is always having to punish himself for something, miss. They lets Dobby get on with it, miss. Sometimes they reminds me to do extra punishments ..."

Alexis felt another flare of anger and had half a mind to find out who Dobby's family was so she could hex them and give them a piece of her mind. Another part of her wanted to find some way to set Dobby free so he could find a decent family to work for. "I wish I could help you, Dobby. Like set you free or something. So why -?"

Alexis broke off as Dobby dissolved again into wails of gratitude. "Alexis Potter asks if she can help Dobby ... Dobby has heard of your greatness, miss, but of your goodness, Dobby never knew ..."

"Whatever you've heard about my greatness is a load of rubbish. Now, why are you here seeing me, Dobby?"

"Alexis Potter is humble and modest," said Dobby reverently, his orb-like eyes aglow. "Alexis Potter speaks not of her triumph over He Who Must Not Be Named."

"Voldermort?" asked Alexis.

Dobby clapped his hands over is bat ears and moaned, "Ah, speak not the name, miss! Speak not the name!"

"Sorry," said Alexis quickly.

Dobby leaned towards Alexis, his eyes wide as headlamps.

"Dobby heard tell," he said hoarsely, "that Alexis Potter met the Dark lord for a second time, just weeks ago ... that Alexis Potter escaped yet again."

Alexis nodded and Dobby's eyes suddenly shone with tears.

"Ah, miss," he gasped, dabbing his face with a corner of the grubby pillowcase he was wearing. "Alexis Potter is valiant and bold! She has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Alexis Potter, to warn her, even if he does have to shut his ears in the oven door later ... Alexis Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."

"_What_!?!" she demanded. "But I've got to go back - term starts on September the first. I don't belong in the Muggle world. I belong in your world - at Hogwarts. I have no intention of spending the school term with my horrid relatives."

"No, no, no," squeaked Dobby, shaking his head so hard his ears flapped. "Alexis Potter must stay where she is safe. She is too great, too good, to lose. If Alexis Potter goes back to Hogwarts, she will be in mortal danger."

"Why?" said Alexis in surprise.

"There is a plot, Alexis Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," whispered Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months, miss. Alexis Potter must not put herself in peril. She is too important, miss!"

"What terrible things?" asked Alexis at once. "Who's plotting them?"

Dobby made a funny choking noise and then banged his head madly against the wall.

"All right!" cried Alexis, grabbing the elf's arm to stop him. "You can't say, I understand. But why are you warning me?" A sudden, unpleasant thought struck her. "Hang on - this hasn't got anything to do with Vol - sorry - with You Know Who, has it? You could just shake or nod," she added hastily, as Dobby's head tilted worryingly close to the wall again.

Slowly, Dobby shook his head.

"Not - not He Who Must Not Be Named, miss."

But Dobby's eyes were wide and he seemed to be trying to give Alexis a hint. Alexis, however, was completely at sea.

"He hasn't got a brother, has he?"

Dobby shook his head, his eyes wider than ever.

"Well then, I can't think who else would have a chance of making horrible things happen at Hogwarts," said Alexis. "I mean, there's Dumbledore, for one thing - you know who Dumbledore is, don't you?"

Dobby bowed his head. "Albus Dumbledore is the greatest Headmaster Hogwarts has ever had. Dobby knows it, miss. Dobby has heard Dumbledore's powers rival those of He Who Must Not Be Named at the height of his strength. But miss," Dobby's voice dropped to an urgent whisper, "there are powers Dumbledore doesn't ... power no decent wizard ..."

And before Alexis could stop him, Dobby bounded off the bed, seized the table lamp and started beating himself around the head with ear-splitting yelps. She reached out to grab the lamp away when the door opened and Mrs. Kent and Sophie came in. "What is all this noise?" demanded Mrs. Kent, looking annoyed. Then she spotted Dobby. "And what is a house-elf doing here, since it doesn't look like he's visiting Barry, Tribby, or Kitty?"

Dobby looked frightened and disappeared with a loud pop, dropping a small bundle of letters to the ground as he did so. Sophie picked up the letters, glanced at the one on top, and exclaimed, "Hey, that's Ron's handwriting!" She looked through the rest of the letters, then handed them to Alexis and said, "Well, it looks like we know what happened to your mail."

"You mean Dobby was the one intercepting all my letters?" demanded Alexis angrily. She sorted through the mail, seeing that all her friends plus Hagrid had written to her at least once. She removed the letters that she had written and handed them back to Sophie. "Could you hand them out, Sophie? And explain what happened? I need to write to Hagrid and explain why I haven't answered his letter earlier."

When Alexis had finished the letter to Hagrid and sent it via Sophie's owl, Athena (namely because she uncertain if Dobby had stopped intercepting Hedwig or not), Mrs. Kent summoned her. "I've questioned my house-elves about Dobby. Kitty knows him very well, as they're good friends. She happened to mention the guests here, which is why Dobby knew you were here. Kitty also told me that Dobby is a good elf, and that the family he works for is the Malfoy family."

"The Malfoys?" asked Alexis. "No wonder Dobby was dressed like that and behaved the way he did. I wonder if Draco Malfoy sent Dobby to me as a prank, telling me not to return to Hogwarts. Then that would mean Dobby wasn't really warning me."

"Warning you?" demanded Mrs. Kent. "Tell me everything that Dobby told you, Alexis."

"Well, Dobby first said it was an honor to meet me and talked about how great and kind I was. Then he told me not to return to Hogwarts because I would be in grave danger. He apparently had known for several months about a plot to make terrible things happen at Hogwarts and risked punishment to come and warn me about it. He said it didn't involve Voldemort." Unlike Alexis's friends, Mrs. Kent did not flinch at the name.

"I see," she said, one brow raised. "Prehaps this isn't a joke played on you. The Malfoys are on the Dark Side, and I strongly believe that Lucius Malfoy is a Death Eater. He got off by claiming that Voldemort had bewitched him and donating a great deal of gold to the Ministry. I wouldn't put it past him to plot something terrible. Dobby could very well have heard about the plot, and because he thinks highly of you, decided to come and warn you about it despite the risks involved."

"Oh. It does make sense. And Mrs. Kent, why aren't you afraid to say Voldemort's name like most witches and wizards?"

"I'm a Christian, dear. I know that God is greater than any evil person or demon here on earth, so I have no reason to be afraid."

"Okay. So what do I do now? I prefer being at Hogwarts. But it there's a plot to make terrible things happen there ..."

"Just be careful, Alexis. And talk to Professors Dumbledore or McGonagall if you notice anything unusual. I don't want anything to happen to you, dear."

"All right, Mrs. Kent." Alexis turned to leave, but was called back.

She turned around and Mrs. Kent continued, "You don't have to call me Mrs. Kent anymore. You may call me Grandmother like Sophie and Eric do. You don't have any grandparents of your own, after all, and I would love to be your grandmother-figure."

Alexis nodded slowly, realizing that Mrs. Kent saw her as a surrogate granddaughter. "I'll do my best, Mrs., I mean Grandmother." Mrs. Kent smiled and allowed Alexis to leave.

On Wednesday afternoon, after lunch, Fred and George went home, while the others Flooed over to the Longbottom house. It was smaller than the Kent house on the outside, but on the inside it had almost as many rooms. Mrs. Longbottom, a stern witch of seventy, greeted everyone, introduced them to the house-elf Clary, who would see to their needs, and then showed them to their rooms. After they were all settled in, Neville showed his friends around the house and grounds. His favourite place was the greenhouse.

At six they had dinner. Mrs. Longbottom asked many questions throughout the meal, and by the end of dessert, appeared to strongly approve of Neville's friends (besides Sophie, whom she already approved of). After, the nine of them went upstairs to talk and play games. At nine-thirty, Clary appeared, saying that Mrs. Longbottom wanted them to go to bed. Alexis went to her room, read one of her books for an hour, and then went to sleep.

Next chapter: Neville's and Alexis's birthdays, and Alexis, Sophie, and Neville visiting the Weasleys. (Eric and Daphne won't come because their families won't let them visit 'blood-traitors' and Hermione can't because her parents are taking her on a holiday for two weeks.) Alexis will spend the rest of the summer at the Weasleys, while Sophie and Neville will only stay two weeks.


	4. Birthdays and the Burrow

This fic is dedicated to reviewer Hermione16. And thanks goes to my muse/sister, for her suggestions of some of the birthday presents and pointing out that Neville hasn't told his friends about his parents.

Two days into their visit, Ron asked, "Neville, why do live with your grandmother? Are you parents dead like Sophie's and Alexis's?" Sophie gave Ron a Look, and he quickly added, "I'm just curious. I don't mean to be rude or anything.'

"It's all right, Ron," said Neville. He proceeded to tell them how his parents, noted Aurors, had been tortured into insanity by Rabastan Lestrange, Rudolphus Lestrange, his wife Bellatrix Black Lestrange, and Barty Crouch, Jr. in order to find information on the whereabouts of Voldemort after his downfall. As a result, Frank and Alice Longbottom were living in St. Mungo's, with little hope of a cure. Sophie, of course, already knew this, and Eric apparently knew about it as well.

"My grandparents told me about it," he said sourly. "I'm sure if my father hadn't been arrested earlier, he would have taken part."

The others were full of horrified exclamations. Neville quickly assured them that it was all right, and that he and his grandmother visited his parents frequently. "All right?" demanded Alexis. "Neville, you have to deal with the fact that your parents are in St. Mungo's and don't recognize you. In some ways, that is much worse than not remembering your parents at all, or only retaining a few dim memories of them, like me. At least I know they're in Heaven, or wherever you go after death, and can watch over me."

"True," said Neville in a small voice. "But on the other hand, they are alive, and I do get to see them." Then he quickly changed the subject.

On the morning of Neville's birthday, there was rain. It wasn't heavy, but it was by no means a drizzle either. So everyone had to stay inside. It wasn't bad, with the nine of them playing games until lunchtime. Then they went down to the dining room for a very delicious lunch, which consisted mostly of Neville's favorite foods. That was followed by a chocolate birthday cake, with vanilla frosting and decorated with icing in the shape of various plants.

By that time, it had stopped raining, and the sun put in an appearance. Everyone moved to the sunroom after the cake, where Neville began opening his presents. From his grandmother was a set of robes and a watch that had belonged to his father. From his great-uncle Algie and great-aunt Enid was a potted plant. The rest of the presents were from his friends and Mrs. Kent. To Neville's utter surprise, Mrs. Kent's present turned out to be a broom, a Cleansweep Five. The accompanying note said that she wanted to get him a Nimbus Two Thousand, but as he still wasn't completely experienced at flying, she had gotten a slower broom instead.

Alexis's present was a book on magical plants in North America and Hermione's was a book on plants used in potion-making. Sophie's gift was a journal and luxury quill pen and Eric's a book full of flying tips. Ron's present was a small box containing several packets of seeds and Daphne's a wand care kit. Ginny's gift was a box of Chocolate Frogs and Luna's a three-month subscription of T_he Quibbler_ and a small painting of Neville riding on a broom.

In the afternoon, Neville tried out his new broom, and played Quidditch with the others. He turned out to be a fair beater, though he obviously wasn't up to the standard of the Weasley twins.

The next day was Alexis's birthday, and it dawned bright and sunny. Two owls turned up at breakfast, each bearing a package. Alexis recognized one as Hestia, Kyra's owl, but she didn't recognize the other. As she relieved the owls of their burdens, she noticed a slip of paper attatched to one of the packages. "Happy Birthday, Alexis! I'm borrowing Matt's owl, Thor, as Hestia can't carry two packages at once. I hope you a wonderful day and enjoy the time with your friends. Love, Mrs. Channing."

The packages were set aside to be opened later and Alexis quickly finished her breakfast. In the meantime, the two owls flew off.

After breakfast, Alexis and her friends played games and helped Neville plant some of the seeds Ron had given him in the greenhouse.

At noon was lunch, with the foods Alexis liked best. That was followed by a birthday cake, decorated with candy in the shape of snitches and icing brooms. After making a wish (for her and friends to have long and happy lives), she blew out the twelve candles and cut the cake, giving each person a generous slice.

Presents followed the cake. From Mrs. Longbottom was a set of robes, and from Mrs. Kent was a set of five books, dealing with Defence, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, and Quidditch. One of the packages the Channings sent turned out to be _The Last Herald Mage_ trilogy by Mercedes Lackey from Mrs. Channing and a red spectacles case with gold embroidery from Matt. The other package contained _The Oathbound_, _Oathbreakers_, and _Winds of Fate_,also by Mercedes Lackey, from Kyra, and a pair of red dangling earrings and matching necklace from Emma. As Alexis's ears weren't pierced yet, the earrings were clip-ons.

With the exceptions of Luna, Neville, and Daphne, all of Alexis' other presents turned out to be books or related to Quidditch, her two main interests. Ron's gift was a pair of seeker gloves and Ginny's a book on the Holyhead Harpies Quidditch team. Hermione's present were the books _Mossflower_ and _Mariel of Redwall_, from the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. Sophie's present was the first three books in _The Dragonriders of Pern_ series by Anne McCaffrey. Eric's present was a modified snitch that would fly around a person so he or she could try to catch it. Neville's gift was a photo album, the first four pages filled with various photos taken during their first year at Hogwarts. Daphne's present was a journal, and Luna's present was a subscription to _The Quibbler_ and a small painting of Alexis riding a horse.

In the afternoon, Alexis spent the time playing with the modified snitch and going through the books she'd received, starting with the one on the Holyhead Harpies. After the first few chapters, she had decided that if ever planned to play Quidditch professionally, she'd join the all-female team.

Two more days passed, and the visit with at the Longbottom house was over. The Weasleys had invited Ron's friends over. However, as the Weasleys were considered blood traitors, Eric and Daphne were not given permission to visit. Hermione's parents planned to go on holiday for two weeks, taking her with them, so she couldn't visit either, though she promised to meet up with them in Diagon Alley. Sophie and Neville were allowed to visit for two weeks, while Alexis was to stay the rest of the summer at the Burrow.

The Weasley home was much smaller than the Kent or Longbottom home, and looked to be held together in places with magic. However, it was a distinct improvementover the Dursley home, so Alexis didn't mind at all and declared that she loved the place, causing Ron's ears to go red. As there were no spare bedrooms, Neville had to share Ron's room, while Alexis and Sophie shared Ginny's. Ginny's room was rather nice, with posters of the Holyhead Harpies and the band The Weird Sisters on the walls. Two beds had been squeezed, one of them placed over Ginny's to form a bunk bed.

Ron's room was completely orange, with posters of his favorite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons, on the walls. Alexis raised a brow. From what she had read in _Quidditch Through the Ages_, they hadn't won the League since 1892 and weren't a very good team, though they had improved to become ninth. In fact, their motto had been "We shall conquer," but got changed in 1972 to "Let's all just keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best".

Neville had politely not said anything about the room, but it was clear that he didn't really care to sleep in a room that was so orange. However, there really was no other room for him suitable to stay in. Percy didn't care to share his room, and staying the twins' room was not a good idea, considering the noises that often went off in there.

There were some things to get used to, like the ghoul in the attic and the mirror that barked, "Tuck your shirt in, scruffy!" on the second day of their stay. Mrs. Weasley was an excellent cook, and tried to force large third and fourth helpings on Sophie and Alexis, whom she felt were too thin. Alexis met a gnome for the first time when she helped Ron and the twins degnome the garden. Mr. Weasley liked to sit next to Alexis at mealtimes, bombarding her with questions about Muggles.

On the twelfth was Ginny's eleventh birthday and Luna came over for the party. Percy spent the morning holed up in his room while the others played Quidditch, but did appear for lunch, cake, and presents. Though Eric, Hermione, and Daphne could not attend, they had sent gifts, and Mrs. Longbottom and Mrs. Kent had sent gifts as well.

Mrs. Weasley raised a brow when Ginny unwrapped Mrs. Kent's present, a Cleansweep Seven. "Aunt Sophia hasn't contacted me in years, except for those invitations to her yearly parties, but now she's sending expensive presents to my children?"

"Mum, we are her grand-nephews and nieces," pointed out Ginny. "Besides, she wasn't aware that we were related to her until Sophie became friends with Ron. She's just making up for not spending time with us earlier."

Ginny expressed her delight with her other presents, and appeared to be interested in _The Chronicles of Narnia_, which Alexis had given her. She was very interested with the notebook Sophie had given her, which like the ones the others had, were connected to one another and used to communicate. When Alexis saw it, she realized that she could have used her notebook to write to her friends during that time when Dobby had stopped her mail. She mentally kicked herself for forgetting about it.

After Percy's birthday had been celebrated and Neville and Sophie went home, Hermione sent a letter, saying she was back from holiday and asked if they could meet up in Diagon Alley to purchase their school things next Wednesday. The Hogwarts letters arrived at the same time as well, and Luna and Ginny got their acceptance letters, to their delight. It was agreed that they could go on Wednesday, and Eric and Daphne were able to talk their grandparents and parents to going that day as well.


	5. Trip to Diagon Alley

The day came for the trip to Diagon Alley. Mrs. Weasley had looked worried about how she was to afford five sets of Gilderoy Lockhart's books (the new Defence Against Dark Arts teacher had required them), but Mrs. Kent had settled it. She had shown up the day Sophie was to leave, and said, "Molly, I would like to ask your forgiveness for not contacting you earlier and spending more time with you. However, I wasn't exactly your favorite aunt, and I really don't like to force myself on others without being invited first. To make it up to you, will you allow me to pay for the school things for your children? This isn't charity, just a way to make up for things. You and Arthur can pay for your children's school supplies next year."

Mrs. Weasley had reluctantly agreed, so now none of the Weasleys children had to worry about second-hand supplies.

After breakfast, Alexis and the Weasleys left for Diagon Alley via Floo Powder. It was not Alexis's favorite way to travel, however. Her robes got covered with soot, and when she had Flooed from the Longbottom house to the Weasleys, her glasses broke upon her tumbling out of the fireplace. Of course, Mrs. Weasley had mended the glasses with magic, but it still didn't endear traveling by Floo to Alexis.

This time, Alexis accidentally swallowed some hot ash when she opened her mouth to speak. "D-Dia-gon Alley," she coughed.

It felt as though she was being sucked down a giant plug hole. She seemed to be spinning very fast ... the roaring in her ears was deafening ... she tried to keep her eyes open but the whirl of green flames made him feel sick ... something hard knocked her elbow and she tucked it in tightly, still spinning and spinning ... now it felt as though cold hands were slapping her face ... squinting through her glasses she saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the rooms beyond ... her bacon sandwiches were churning inside her ... She closed her eyes again wishing it would stop, and then - she fell, face forward, onto cold stone and felt her glasses shatter.

Dizzy and bruised, covered in soot, she got gingerly to his feet, holding shis broken glasses up to her eyes. She was quite alone, but where she was, she had no idea.All she could tell was that she was standing in the stone fireplace of what looked like a large, dimly lit wizard's shop - but nothing in here was ever likely to be on a Hogwarts school list.

A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion, a blood-stained pack of cards and a staring glass eye. Evil-looking masks leered down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. Even worse, the dark, narrow street Alexis could see outside through the dusty shop window was definitely not Diagon Alley. The sooner she got out of here, the better.

Nose still stinging where it had hit the hearth, she made her way swiftly and silently towards the door, but before she'd got halfway towards it, two people appeared on the other side of the glass - and one of them was the very last person she wanted to see when she was lost, covered in soot and wearing broken glasses: Draco Malfoy.

Alexis looked quickly around and spotted a large black cabinet to her left; she shot inside it and pulled the doors shut, leaving a small crack to peer through.

Seconds later, a bell clanged, and Malfoy stepped into the shop.  
The man who followed could only be his father. He had the same pale, pointed face and identical cold grey eyes.

Mr. Malfoy crossed the shop, looking lazily at the items on display, and rang a bell on the counter before turning to his son and saying, "Touch nothing, Draco."

Malfoy, who had reached for the glass eye, said, "I thought you were going to buy me a present."

"I said I would buy you a racing broom," said his father, drumming his fingers on the counter.

"What's the good of that if I'm not in the house team?" said Malfoy, looking sulky and bad-tempered. "Alexis Potter got a Nimbus Two Thousand last year. Special permission from Dumbledore so she could play for Gryffindor. She's not even that good, it's just because she's famous ... famous for having a stupid scar on her forehead ..." Malfoy bent down to examine a shelf full of skulls.  
" ... everyone thinks she's so smart, wonderful Potter with her scar and her broomstick -"

"You have told me this at least a dozen times already," said Mr. Malfoy, with a quelling look at his son, "and I would remind you that it is not - prudent - to appear less than fond of Alexis Potter, not when most of our kind regard her as the heroine who made the Dark Lord disappear - ah, Mr. Borgin."

A stooping man had appeared behind the counter, smoothing his greasy hair back from his face.  
"Mr. Malfoy, what a pleasure to see you again," said Mr. Borgin in a voice as oily as his hair.

"Delighted - and young Master Malfoy, too - charmed. How may I be of assistance? I must show you, just in today, and very reasonably priced -"

"I'm not buying today, Mr. Borgin, but selling," said Mr. Malfoy.

"Selling?" The smile faded slightly from Mr. Borgin's face.

"You have heard, of course, that the Ministry is conducting more raids," said Mr. Malfoy, taking a roll of parchment from his inside pocket and unraveling it for Mr. Borgin to read. "I have a few - ah - items at home that might embarrass me, if the Ministry were to call ..."

Mr. Borgin fixed a pince-nez to his nose and looked down the list. "The Ministry wouldn't presume to trouble you, sir, surely?"

Mr. Malfoy's lip curled. "I have not been visited yet. The name Malfoy still commands a certain respect, yet the Ministry grows ever more meddlesome. There are rumors about a new Muggle Protection Act - no doubt that flea-bitten, Muggle-loving fool Arthur Weasley is behind it -" Alexis felt a hot surge of anger. "- and as you see, certain of these poisons might make it appear -"

"I understand, sir, of course," said Mr. Borgin. "Let me see ..."

"Can I have that?" interrupted Draco, pointing at the withered hand on its cushion.

"Ah, the Hand of Glory!" said Mr. Borgin, abandoning Mr. Malfoy's list and scurrying over to Draco.

"Insert a candle and it gives light only to the holder! Best friend of thieves and plunderers! Your son has fine taste, sir."

"I hope my son will amount to ore than a thief or a plunderer, Borgin," said Mr. Malfoy coldly and Mr. Borgin said quickly, "No offence, sir, no offence meant -"

"Though if his school marks don't pick up," said Mr. Malfoy more coldly still, "that may indeed be all he is fit for."

"It's not my fault," retorted Draco. "The teachers all have favorites, that Hermione Granger -

"I would have thought you'd be ashamed that a girl of no wizard family beat you in every exam," snapped Mr. Malfoy.

"Ha!" said Alexis under her breath, smiling and pleased to see Draco looking both abashed and angry.

"It's the same all over," said Mr. Borgin, in his oily voice. "Wizard blood is counting for less everywhere -"

"Not with me," said Mr. Malfoy, his long nostrils flaring.

"No, sir, nor with me, sir," said Mr. Borgin, with a deep bow.

"In that case, perhaps we can return to my list," said Mr. Malfoy shortly. "I am in something of a hurry, Borgin, I have important business elsewhere today."

They started to haggle. Alexis watched nervously as Draco drew nearer and nearer to her hiding place, examining the objects for sale.

He paused to examine a long coil of hangman's rope and to read, smirking, the card propped on a magnificent necklace of opals: _Caution: Do Not Touch. Cursed - Has Claimed the Lives of Nineteen Muggle Owners to Date_.

Draco turned away and saw the cabinet right in front of him. He walked forward ... he stretched out his hand for the handle ...  
"Done," said Mr. Malfoy at the counter. "Come, Draco!"

Alexis wiped her forehead on his sleeve as Draco turned away.  
"Good day to you, Mr. Borgin, I'll expect you at the manor tomorrow to pick up the goods."

The moment the door had closed, Mr. Borgin dropped his oily manner.  
"Good day yourself, Mister Malfoy, and if the stories are true, you haven't sold me half of what's hidden in your manor ..."

Muttering darkly, Mr. Borgin disappeared into a back room. Alexis waited a minute in case he came back, then, quietly as she could, slipped out of the cabinet, past the glass cases and out of the shop door.

Clutching her broken glasses to her face, she stared around. She had emerged into a dingy alleyway that seemed to be made up entirely of shops devoted to the Dark Arts. The one she'd just left, Borgin and Burkes, looked like the largest, but opposite was a nasty window display of some shrunken heads, and two doors down, a large cage was alive with gigantic black spiders.

Two shabby looking wizards were watching him from the shadow of a doorway, muttering to each other. Feeling jumpy, Alexis set off, trying to hold her glasses on straight and hoping against hope she'd be able to find a way out of there.

An old wooden sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told him she was in Knockturn Alley. This didn't help, as she had never heard of such a place.

She supposed she hadn't spoken clearly enough through her mouthful of ashes back in the Weasleys' fire. Trying to stay calm, she wondered what to do.

"Not lost are you, my dear?" said a voice in her ear, making him jump.

An aged witch stood in front of him, holding a tray of what looked horribly like whole human fingernails. She leered at him, showing mossy teeth. Alexis backed away.  
"I'm fine, thanks," she said. "I'm just -"  
"ALEXIS! What d'yeh think yer doin' down there?"

Alexis's heart leapt. So did the witch; a load of fingernails cascaded down over her feet and she cursed as the massive form of Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, came striding towards them, beetle-black eyes flashing over his great bristling beard.

"Hagrid!" Alexis croaked in relief. "I was lost ... Floo powder ..."  
Hagrid seized Alexis by the scruff of the neck and pulled her away from the witch, knocking the tray right out of her hands.

Her shrieks followed them all the way along the twisting alleyway out into bright sunlight.

Alexis saw a familiar, snow-white marble building in the distance: Gringotts bank. Hagrid steered her right into Diagon Alley.

"Yer a mess!" said Hagrid gruffly, brushing soot off Alexis so forcefully he nearly knocked her into a barrel of dragon dung outside an apothecary's. "Skulkin' around Knockturn Alley, I dunno - dodgy place, Alexis - don' want no one ter see yeh down there -"

"I realized that," said Alexis, ducking as Hagrid made to brush her off again. "I told you, I was lost - what were you doing down there, anyway?"

"I was lookin' fer a Flesh-Eatin' Slug Repellent," growled Hagrid. "They're ruinin' the school cabbages. Yer not on yer own?"

"I'm staying with the Weasleys but we got separated," Alexis explained. "I've got to go and find them ..." They set off together down the street.

"Alexis! Alexis! Over here!"  
Alexis looked up and saw Hermione and Sophie standing at the top of the white flight steps to Gringotts. Hermione ran down to meet them, her bushy brown hair flying behind her, while Sophie followed at a more sedate pace..

"What happened to your glasses?" asked Hermione. " Hello, Hagrid ... Oh, it's wonderful to see you two again ... Are you coming into Gringotts, Alexis?"

"As soon as I've found the Weasleys," answered Alexis.

"Yeh won't have long ter wait," grinned Hagrid.

Alexis, Sophie, and Hermione looked around; sprinting up the crowded street were Ron, Fred, George, Percy and Mr. Weasley.

"Alexis," Mr. Weasley panted. "We hoped you'd only gone one grate too far ..." He mopped his glistening bald patch. "Molly's frantic - she's coming now."

"Where did you come out?" Ron asked.

"Knockturn Alley," said Hagrid grimly.

"Brilliant!" said Fred and George together.

"We've never been allowed in," said Ron enviously.

"I should ruddy well think not," growled Hagrid.

Mrs. Weasley now came galloping into view, her handbag swinging wildly in one hand, Ginny just clinging onto the other. "Oh, Alexis - oh, my dear - you could have been anywhere -"  
Gasping for breath she pulled a large clothes brush out of her bag and began sweeping off the soot Hagrid hadn't managed to beat away. Mr. Weasley took Alexis's glasses, gave them a tap of his wand and returned them, good as new.

"Well, got to be off," said Hagrid, who was having his hand wrung by Mrs. Weasley ("Knockturn Alley! If you hadn't found her, Hagrid!"). "See yer at Hogwarts!" And he strode away, head and shoulders taller than anyone else in the packed street.

"Guess who I saw in Borgin and Burkes?" Alexis asked Ron, Sophie, and Hermione as they climbed the Gringotts steps. "Malfoy and his father."

"Did Lucius Malfoy buy anything?" said Mr. Weasley sharply behind them.

"No, he was selling."

"So he's worried," said Mr. Weasley with grim satisfaction. "Oh, I'd love to get Lucius Malfoy for something ..."

"You be careful, Arthur," said Mrs. Weasley sharply, as they were ushered into the bank by a bowing goblin at the door. "That family's trouble, don't go biting off more than you can chew."

"So you don't think I'm a match for Lucius Malfoy?" said Mr. Weasley indignantly, but he was distracted almost at once by the sight of Hermione's parents, who were standing nervously at the counter that ran all along the great marble hall, waiting for Hermione to introduce them.

"But you're Muggles!" said Mr. Weasley delightedly. "We must have a drink! What's that you've got there? Oh, you're changing Muggle money. Molly, look!" He pointed excitedly at the ten pound notes in Mr. Granger's hand.

"Meet you back here," Ron said to Hermione, as the Weasleys, Sophie, Mrs. Kent and Alexis were led off to their underground vaults by another Gringotts goblin.

The vaults were reached by a number of small, goblin-driven carts that sped along miniature train-tracks through the bank's underground tunnels. Alexis enjoyed the breakneck journey down to the Weasleys' vault, but felt dreadful, far worse that he had in Knockturn Alley, when it was opened. There was a very small pile of silver Sickles inside, and just one gold Galleon.

Mrs. Weasley felt right into the corners before sweeping the whole lot into her bag. Alexis felt even worse when they reached her vault. She tried to block the contents from view as she hastily shoved handfuls of coins into a leather bag. Finally they went to the Kent vault, which was larger than Alexis's and contained even more money. Mrs. Kent swept a number of galleons and sickles into her bag, handed some to Sophie for her spending money, and swept more money into Mrs. Weasley's bag. "As I said, I'm paying for the school supplies, Molly."

Back outside on the marble steps, they ran into Neville, Mrs. Longbottom, Luna, Mr. Lovegood, Eric, and his grandparents. Eric hurried over and greeted Sophie, but he ignored the others. Alexis frowned, then realized that he was only doing this for his grandparents' benefit. Once they could get away, Eric would be his usual self, but for now he had to pretend to be distant. Ron, however, didn't seem to realize this, for he opened his mouth to greet Eric. Hermione quickly engaged Ron in conversation.

Mr. and Mrs. Carrow exchanged looks when Eric asked if he could accompany Sophie and Neville for awhile. "Fine," said Mrs. Carrow grudgingly. "The Kents and Longbottoms are respectable families, and I suppose you would want to spend some time with your cousin. But I don't want you around blood traitors and the like so much."

They all separated. Percy muttered vaguely about needing a new quill. Fred and George had spotted their friend from Hogwarts, Lee Jordan. Mrs. Kent and Mrs. Weasley were taking Ginny to buy her robes. Mr. Weasley was insisting on taking the Grangers off to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink. Mr. Lovegood and Luna went off to get a cauldron and writing materials.  
"We'll meet at Flourish and Blotts in an hour to buy your school books," said Mrs. Weasley, setting off with Ginny. "And not one step down Knockturn Alley!" she shouted at the twins' retreating backs.

Alexis and her friends strolled off along the winding, cobbled street. The bag of gold, silver and bronze jangling cheerfully in Alexis's pocket was clamoring to be spent, so she bought large strawberry and peanut-butter ice-creams for them all, which they slurped happily as they wandered up the alley, examining the fascinating shop windows.

Ron gazed longingly at a full set of Chudley Cannon robes in the window of "Quality Quidditch Supplies" until Hermione dragged them off to buy ink and parchment next door.

In Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop, they met Fred, George and Lee Jordan, who were stocking up on "Dr Filibuster's Fabulous Wet-Start, No-Heat Fireworks, and in a tiny old junk shop full of broken wands, wonky brass scales and old cloaks covered in potion stains they found Percy, deeply immersed in a small and deeply boring book called _Prefects Who Gained Power._

"A study of Hogwarts Prefects and their later careers," Ron read aloud off the back cover. "That sounds fascinating ..."

"Go away," Percy snapped.

"Course, he's very ambitious, Percy, he's got it all planned out ... he wants to be Minister of Magic ..." Ron told the others in an undertone, as they left Percy to it.

At the Apothecary, they bumped into Luna and her father, buying potion supplies. A pair of twins, boy and girl, and their mother, were there as well, and the girl was talking to Luna. The twins had russet hair, blue-green eyes, and looked alike, except that the girl wore glasses and the boy had much shorter hair. Their mother had light brown hair, blue eyes, and glasses.

Luna turned as Alexis and her friends entered. "Hi, guys. This Bethany Rawlins, Beth for short, and her twin brother Gareth, Gary for short." Then she quickly introduced the others. Gary nodded politely, while Beth smiled and shyly said, "Hello."

"They're going to be first years," continued Luna. "Oh, and they're Muggleborn." Alexis then saw Professor Flitwick standing next to Mrs. Rawlins. He was obviously showing the Rawlins family around.

Luna and Beth resumed the conversation they'd been having, and Alexis suspected that the two girls were on their way to becoming friends. She sincerely hoped that Beth would look past Luna's oddness and see that Luna was a wonderful friend.

An hour later, they headed for Flourish and Blotts. They were by no means the only ones making their way to the bookshop. As they approached it, they saw to their surprise a large crowd jostling outside the doors, trying to get in. The reason for this was proclaimed by a large banner stretched across the upper windows:

GILDEROY LOCKHART  
will be signing copies of his autobiography  
_MAGICAL ME_  
today 12.30 - 4.30 pm

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"

Just then, Sophie's godparents appeared, not looking happy at all. "That bloody idiot," muttered Kat. "How dare he!"

Alexis and her friends looked at Kat in surprise. "Lockhart is a fake," said Caleb grimly. "Kat and I went to school with him. He was in our year and a complete idiot. The only thing he was ever good at was Glamour and Memory Charms. He only got four OWLs, and those he just barely passed. I don't understand how he got into Hufflepuff, because's he's not hard-working or loyal at all."

"Well, he wasn't smart enough or brave enough for Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff," pointed out Kat. "He does have ambition, but I suppose he didn't want to be in Slytherin, so the only option left was Hufflepuff. It's thanks to people like him that Hufflepuff has the reputation of being the house for leftovers, when it's actually a very good house."

"But he's written most of our booklist!" protested Hermione. "So he has to have done great things."

"Other people must have done the stuff in the books and Lockhart probably just took the credit for it," said Caleb.

Kat nodded. "Since the only piece of magic he's good at is Memory Charms, I bet he Obliviated them so they couldn't object to his books. Well, let's go in and get your books."

Hermione wasn't completely convinced, but it looked as if she was considering what Kat and Caleb said and found it plausible.

The crowd seemed to be made up mostly of witches around Mrs. Weasley's age. A harassed-looking wizard stood at the door, saying, "Calmly, please ladies ... don't push, there ... mind the books, now ..."

Alexis and her friends squeezed inside. A long queue wound right to the back of the shop, where Gilderoy Lockhart was signing his books. They each grabbed a copy of _Break with a Banshee_, and sneaked up the line to where the rest of the Weasleys were standing with Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

"Oh, there you are, good," said Mrs. Weasley. She sounded breathless and kept patting her hair. "We'll be able to see him in a minute ..."

Gilderoy Lockhart came slowly into view, seated at a table surrounded by large pictures of his own face, all winking and flashing dazzlingly white teeth at the crowd.

The real Lockhart was wearing robes of forget-me-not blue which exactly matched his eyes; his pointed wizard's hat was set a jaunty angle on his wavy hair.

A short, irritable-looking man was dancing around taking photographs with a large black camera that emitted puffs of purple smoke with every blinding flash.

"Out of the way, there," he snarled at Ron, moving back to get a better shot. "This is for the _Daily Prophet_."

"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.

Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron - and then he saw Alexis. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It can't be Alexis Potter?"

The crowd parted, whispering excitedly. Lockhart dived forward, seized Alexis's arm and pulled her to the front. The crowd burst into applause.

Alexis's face burned as Lockhart shook her hand for the photographer, who was clicking away madly, wafting thick smoke over the Weasleys.

"Nice big smile, Alexis," said Lockhart, through his own gleaming teeth. "Together, you and I are worth the front page."

When he finally let go of her hand, Alexis could hardly feel her fingers. She tried to sidle back over to the Weasleys, but Lockhart threw an arm round her shoulders and clamped her tightly to his side.

"Ladies and gentleman," he said loudly, waving for quiet. "What an extraordinary moment this is! The perfect moment for me to make a little announcement I've been sitting on for some time! When young Alexis here stepped into Flourish and Blotts today, she only wanted to buy my autobiography - which I shall be happy to present her now, free of charge -" the crowd applauded again, "- she had no idea," Lockhart continued, giving Alexis a little shake that made her glasses slip to the end of her nose, "that she would shortly be getting much, much more than my book, _Magical Me_. She and her school fellows will, in fact, be getting the real, magical me. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have great pleasure and pride in announcing that, this September, I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

The crowd cheered and clapped and Alexis found herself being presented with the entire works of Gilderoy Lockhart. Staggering slightly under their weight, she managed to make her way out of the limelight to the edge of the room, where she saw Beth and Gary standing with their second-hand cauldrons. "You have these," Alexis mumbled to Beth, tipping the books into the cauldron. "I'll buy my own -"

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a voice Alexis had no trouble recognizing. She straightened up and found herself face to face with Draco Malfoy, who was wearing his usual sneer.

"Famous Alexis Potter," said Malfoy. "Can't even go into a bookshop without making the front page."

"Leave Alexis alone, she didn't want all that!" snapped Eric, glaring at Malfoy.

"Potter, you've got yourself a boyfriend!" drawled Malfoy.

Eric went scarlet as Ron, Sophie, Neville, and Hermione fought their way over, both clutching stacks of Lockharts books.  
"Oh, it's you," said Ron, looking at Malfoy as if he were something unpleasant on the sole of his shoe. "Bet you're surprised to see Alexis here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Malfoy. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for that lot."

Ron went as red as Eric. He dropped his books into the cauldron, too, and started towards Malfoy, but Alexis and Sophie grabbed the back of his jacket.

"Ron!" said Mr. Weasley, struggling over with Fred and George. "What are you doing? It's mad in here, let's go outside."

"Well, well, well - Arthur Weasley."

It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.

"Lucius," said Mr. Weasley, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids ... I hope they're paying you overtime?"

"Lucius Malfoy, what are you doing?" demanded Mrs. Kent in a very cold tone of voice. "Leave my nephew-by-marriage alone."

Mr. Malfoy turned. "You're related to a blood traitor, Mrs. Kent?"

"First of all, Arthur is not a blood traitor," snapped Mrs. Kent. "You're the one I consider a blood traitor. Second, I was a Prewett before my marriage. Molly Prewett is my niece, and when she married Arthur, he became my nephew and their children my grand-nephews and niece. So I suggest you keep your mouth shut and not go around insulting my relatives."

Mr. Malfoy glared at her, then turned to Gary and Beth. He reached into Gary's cauldron and picked up a very old, very battered copy of _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_. "Well, well, you must not come from a wealthy family, boy."

Gary straightened angrily. "I would like my book back, please," he said politely, but his teeth were clenched.

Professor Flitwick squeaked, "Mr. Malfoy, please do not cause trouble here." Mr. Malfoy glanced at the tiny professor, then nodded curtly.

"Fine. Here's your book back. It's obviously the best your mother can give you." He sneered at Mrs. Rawlins, then beckoning for Draco to follow him, turned and strode out the shop.

Mrs. Kent was fuming over what had happened with the Malfoys, and the others didn't look that happy either. The Carrows looked pleased, and dragged Eric away. He only had enough time to call back, "I'll see you guys on the Hogwart's Express!" and wave.

They rest finished their shopping, and Luna introduced Beth and Gary to Ginny. The four of them began talking during the rest of the excursion, and it looked as if they would become friends.

The Grangers then left through the Leaky Cauldron for the Muggle street on the other side. Hermione quickly bid her friends good-bye and said she'd see them on the train. Mr. Weasley was about to ask how bus stops worked, but a look from Mrs. Weasley silenced him. The rest of the group Flooed home. Alexis put her glasses in her pocket before her turn. She did not want to risk breaking them again.


	6. The Hogwarts Express and Sorting

This chapter is dedicated to ravenaurelius, who has put this fic on her favorites list.

September the first came and it was tiome for the kids to back to Hogwarts. The trunks were loaded in the boot of Mr. Weasley's Ford Anglia, which he had magically expanded on the inside so everything would fit. The interior of the care had also been expanded as well, so everyone could fit in. Fred, Percy, and the twins sat in the back, while Alexis, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley joined Mr. Weasley in the front seat, which now resembled the length of a park bench.

However, they had barely started when Fred said he'd forgotten his broomstick. Then they had to return when George realized he'd forgotten his box of fireworks. Finally, they had just reached the highway when they had to return for the third and last time when Ginny shrieked that she'd forgotten the diary that Hermione had given her for her birthday. As a consquence, they were running late, and tempers were short.

Mr. Weasley suggested that they fly to King's Cross, saying that he had added an Invisibility Booster to the car so Muggles wouldn't be able to see them. Mrs. Weasley vetoed the idea immediately, so they had to drive the entire way. By the time they reached King's Cross, it was seven minutes before eleven. Mr. Weasley dashed across the street for trolleyes, then they all rushed inside the station.

It was five minutes of eleven then. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny went through the barrier first, then Mr. Weasley and Percy. The twins were next, and Ron and Alexis grabbed the handles of their trolleys and ran toward the barrier. However, when they reached it, they crashed. Hedwig's cage fell over, and the owl began hotting indignantly. "Why isn't the barrier working?" asked Ron.

Alexis shrugged, having no idea either. Just then, there was a crack and Mrs. Kent appeared. "The barrier's blocked. I just tried to go through, but couldn't. Anyway, take my hand and I'll Apparate the two of you onto the train. As for your trunks, I'll send them on to Hogwarts." She quickly did a Disillusionment Charm so the Muggles wouldn't see them, and then Apparated the two of them.

Ron and Alexis quickly hopped onto the train, and about five seconds later, it began moving. Alexis spotted Mrs. Channing and called a good-bye. The lady in question gave a start, then returned the good-bye and waved. "Have a good year, Alexis!"

Alexis then waved to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Lovegood, and Mrs. Kent. When the Hogwarts Express went down a bend and the platform couldn't be seen anymore, Alexis and Ron went to find the compartment with their friends. They reached the very last compartment, and to Alexis's utter surprise, it appeared bigger than it was last year. Prehaps it had expanded so it could also fit Ginny, Luna, Daphne, and Beth and Gary Rawlins.

Ron and Alexis explained about the barrier being blocked and Mrs. Kent Apparating them onto the platform in the nick of time. By this time, Alexis had begun to suspect that Dobby might be responsible, since he was so keen to not have her return to Hogwarts. However, she didn't voice this, because Beth and Gary were there and she wasn't friends with them.

After a few minutes, the subject was changed to telling Beth and Gary all about Hogwarts. The twins had already changed into their Hogwarts robes, which were shabby and appeared to be second-hand. Beth had a very battered and old copy of _Hogwarts, a History_ open on her lap, and flipped through it, checking everything that was told to her.

When the others had run out of stuff to tell about Hogwarts, Beth shut the book and put it away. "The wizarding world is fascinating,. isn't it?" she asked. "I'm really glad that Gary and I are wizard and witch and that all the odd stuff we did was magic."

"Mum was really surprised, then proud of us," said Gary. "Even if it did require her having to use up most of her savings to pay for our school supplies."

Beth gave her brother a Look. "You needn't broadcast it around that we don't have much money, Gareth Rupert."

"It's all right," said Ginny. "My family's not rich, either. With seven kids in the family, there's not much chance of our getting new stuff, unless my Great-Aunt Sophia insists on paying for things."

"What about your father?" asked Ron. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a somewhat touchy subject, earning a nudge from Ginny and disapproving looks from the other girls (except Luna).

"We don't have a father," said Beth shortly.

"Is he dead?" asked Ron, having not gotten the point that it was a touchy subject. Ginny kicked him. "Ow!"

"We don't know," snapped Gary. "We never knew him. Our mother had us out of wedlock, okay?"

Ron finally stopped being thick and realized he shouldn't have asked that. "Oh! I'm sorry for asking, Gary and Beth."

"Apology accepted," said Beth. "Mum works as a waitress to support us, but unfortunately she doesn't make that much money. About two-thirds of it consists of her tips. But she does her best and sees to it that we never lack anything, even if most of it ends up being second-hand."

Just then, the food trolley arrived. Beth said that she and Gary had bough sandwiches, though they did spend a sickle and five knuts on a few pumpkin pasties and chocolate frogs. Like last year, Alexis bought some of everything and insisted on sharing it with the others. "Thank you," said Gary, "but we have our own food, Alexis."

"It's not charity," snapped Alexis. "It's an offer from someone who's willing to be your friend. So please help yourselves. Besides, I never had anything to share, or anyone to share it with, until last year."

"But you're the Girl-Who Lived!" protested Beth. "I read all about you in _The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and a couple of other books. You can't have been poor or friendless."

"Actually, I was," said Alexis. "The friendless part, anyway. My cousin, Dudley, is a bully, and he and his little gang of friends saw to it that I never had any friends. As for money, I only have wizarding money that my parents left me, which I didn't know about until last year. My aunt and uncle are Muggles, hate magic, and didn't tell me I was a witch. I never found out until after I got my Hogwarts letter. Since my relatives hated magic, they didn't like me, and spent as little money on me as possible."

Beth and Gary exchanged looks. "Being friendless we can understand," said Gary. "Not many kids wished to be friends with us when their parents told them to avoid us because we're born out of wedlock. And the ones that didn't care and were willing to be our friends avoided us when too many odd things happened that appeared to be caused by us. And it doesn't help when we're both considered bookworms and teacher's pets for being among the top students at school. Oh well. At least we have each other."

Beth nodded, then tossed a chocolate frog to Gary and took one for herself. "These aren't real frogs, are they?"

"No, they're just chocolate in the shape of frogs," responded Sophie. "A card of a famous witch or wizard comes with each one."

The conversation turned to explaining the various sweets to the twins. Gary shuddered and made a face when he ate a dirt-flavored Every Flavour Bean. After that, he was more cautious about eating the beans.

Halfway through the trip, Draco Malfoy and his two goons turned up. "Get out," snapped Eric. "You're not wanted here."

Malfoy ignored him and nodded at Luna, Beth, and Gary. "Who are you guys?"

"My name is Luna Lovegood," said Luna, looking up from reading _The Quibbler_.

Malfoy smirked. "Your father must be the editor of that rag you're reading, then. I'm not surprised that Potter's hanging around with someone like you, Loony. What about you two?"

"Bethany and Gareth Rawlins," answered Beth, a frown on her face.

"Rawlins isn't a wizarding name," said Malfoy. "You two must be mudbloods."

The others shot to their feet, including Luna. "Don't call them that, Draco Malfoy!" snapped Daphne angrily.

He noticed Daphne for the first time. "What are you doing, Daphne, hanging around mudbloods, halfbloods, and blood traitors?"

"They're much better people than you!" retorted Daphne. "Besides, I spent two weeks at Sophie's house and a week at Neville's, and I got to know them well and consider them my friends. Except for Beth and Gary, and that's only because I just met them."

"How in Merlin's name did you get Sorted into Slytherin if you're acting like a blood traitor?" demanded Malfoy.

"You're the one that's a blood traitor! I got into Slytherin because I'm a pureblood, ambitious, and a little cunning."

Sophie pulled out her wand and pointed it at Malfoy. "I want you to get out before I hex you into next week, Draco Malfoy!"

Malfoy glared at her, then left the compartment, Crabbe and Goyle behind him. The second-years explained the three to Gary and Beth and what the term 'Mudblood' meant. The twins looked angry at being insulted.

Hermione quickly changed the subject, and when evening came, they arrived at Hogwarts. Ginny, Luna, Gary, and Beth went with the other first years to where Hagrid was and got into a boat. Alexis and the others climbed into carriages that appeared to be pulled by invisible horses. After a few minutes, they set off for the castle.

In the Great Hall, Alexis took a seat between Neville and Hermione. Ron fidgeted impatiently and wished for the Sorting to hurry up and begin so they could then get to the feast. Sir Nicolas gave him a disapproving look.

The first years were led in by Professor McGonagall and then the Sorting Hat sang it's song. When it was done, everyone clapped, and then McGonagall called the first-years up one by one. Alexis raised a brow when an excitable boy named Colin Creevy, who was carrying a camera, was called up. He ran to the stool, jammed the Sorting Hat down eagerly on his head, and loudly said, "I want to be in Gryffindor!", prompting laughter from the other students. After several seconds, the Hat made a chuckling noise and granted Colin's wish, declaring him a Gryffindor. The boy threw the hat back on the stool and ran to the Gryffindor table, tripping once in his haste. There was more laughter.

After several more names, Luna Lovegood was called up. After about half a minute, the Sorting Hat declared her a Ravenclaw. With a pleased smile on her face, she walked calmly off to the Ravenclaw table.

A few more names were called, and then it was Bethany's turn. She walked determinedly to the stool and placed the Hat on her head. Her lips moved silently as she spoke to it, and after several seconds, she was declared a Ravenclaw like Luna. Beth removed the Hat and made her way to the Ravenclaw table, where she took a seat next to Luna.

Gary was next and the Sorting Hat took a long time with him. He appeared to be arguing silently but furiously with it. Finally the Hat called out, "HUFFLEPUFF!" Gary did not look happy as he took it off. Clearly he wanted to be in the same house as his twin. He made his way to the Hufflepuff table and sat down next to a boy who cheerfully greeted him. Gary perked up a bit, apparently seeing this as a prospect to make a new friend.

Ginny was the last to be called up and she was sorted into Gryffindor, to her delight. She took a seat opposite Ron as Percy pompously said, "Excellent, Ginny, well done." Dumbledore stood up then, welcomed everyone, and after saying, "Enjoy!", the feast appeared.

Alexis filled her plate and began eating. She noticed Gary deep in conversation with the boy next to him, who was also a first year. After a long while, the food disappeared to be replaced by dessert. She filled her plate again.

When the remains pf dessert disappeared, Dumbledore stood up. He introduced Gilderoy Lockhart as the new Defense teacher and there were many enthusastic cheers and claps from the girls. Then Dumbledore warned about the Forbidden Forest, that magic was not allowed in the corridors, and that the list of banned items could be found posted in Filch's office. After was the singing of the school song, and then everyone was allowed to leave.

Alexis felt too tired to talk with Hermione and Sophie, so she just brushed her teeth, changed into her nightgown, and went to bed.


	7. Gilderoy Lockhart

This chapter is dedicated to reviewer xxmakesomenoisexx.

The next days, the morning started out quite well, but then things went downhill for Alexis. Kyra stopped her on the way to breakfast and told her that they needed to talk later. Alexis nodded and entered the Great Hall, where she bumped into Gary and his new friend. He turned and quickly introduced David Melling to her, then the two boys hurried over to the Hufflepuff table.

After breakfast was Herbology with the Hufflepuffs. Professor Sprout went over Mandrakes, and Alexis, Hermione, and Sophie each answered a question, earning thirty points for Gryffindor. Alexis, Eric, and Hermione were joined at their tray by a Hufflepuff boy named Justin Finch-Fletchley. He introduced himself cheerfully, said he knew them all, and then as they worked, talked about Lockhart. He was very impressed with all the things Lockhart had supposedly done and written about in his books. Then he revealed that he was Muggleborn, saying that his name had been put down for Eton. Eric had looked confused and Hermione explained in a whisper, "It's a prestigious Muggle boarding school for boys."

Then they had to put their earmuffs on, so all conversation ended. Alexis found repotting the Mandrakes difficult, and had to spend ten minutes trying to smash a particularly fat one into a pot. She couldn't help throwing an envious look at Neville, who was potting the Mandrakes with almost as much ease as Professor Sprout had done.

By the end of the class, Alexis, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching and covered in earth. They traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration.

Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work, but today was especially difficult. Everything Alexis had learned last year seemed to have leaked out of her head during the summer. She was supposed to be turning a beetle into a button, but all she managed to do was give her beetle a lot of exercise as it scuttled over the desk top avoiding her wand for the first half of class. Finally she managed to make the legs and antenna disappear and give the beetle the shape of the button, but that was it.

Hermione and Sophie produced perfect buttons, and in fact, each transfigured several beetles to buttons, each one fancier than the last, Professor McGonagall looked very impressed and awarded them ten points each.

By the end of class, Alexis finally was able to transfigure the beetle completely into a button, but it was a very plain black one. She was not awarded any points for her efforts, though McGonagall did nod approvingly.

During lunch, Neville asked what class they had next. "Defence Against Dark Arts," replied Sophie, sounding unhappy. "Aunt Kat and Uncle Caleb told me everything they could remember about Lockhart from their school days, and I just know he's going to be an incompetent teacher. He'll be worse than Quirrell. It looks as if we're going to have to study proper Defence on our own like last year."

They finished lunch and went outside to the overcast courtyard. Ginny, Luna, Beth, Gary, and David turned up. Gary introduced his new friend to the others and David began a conversation with Gary and Beth. Alexis asked Ginny and Luna about their day.

"It was quite nice," said Luna in her usual dreamy tone. "Professor Flitwick is a really good teacher."

"I successfully transfigured my match into a needle!" exclaimed Ginny happily. "Professor McGonagall smiled, showed the class how well I did, and awarded me five points."

"Good for you, Ginny," said Sophie, smiling. "You're turning out to be a very good witch." Ginny blushed at the praise.

Just then, Alexis turned, suddenly aware that she was being watched. It was the mousy-haired, excitable boy that had been Sorted into Gryffindor last night. He was clutching a camera, and the moment Alexis looked at him, he went bright red.  
"All right, Alexis? I'm - I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think - would it be all right if - can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera hopefully.

"A picture?" Alexis repeated blankly.

"So I can prove I've met you," said Colin Creevey eagerly, edging further forwards. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead" (his eyes raked Alexis's hairline), "and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll move."

Colin drew a great shuddering breath of excitement and said, "It's brilliant here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My Dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you -" he looked imploringly at Alexis, "- maybe one of your friends could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"

"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?" Loud and scathing, Draco Malfoy's voice echoed around the courtyard.

He had stopped right behind Colin, flanked, as he always was at Hogwarts, by his large and thuggish cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Everyone queue up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Alexis Potter's giving out signed photos!"

"No, I'm not!" snapped Alexis angrily, standing up and glaring at him. "Shut up, Malfoy."

"You're just jealous," piped Colin, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck.

"Jealous?" said Malfoy, who didn't need to shout anymore; half the courtyard was listening in. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering stupidly.

"Eat slugs, Malfoy," said Ron angrily. Crabbe stopped laughing and started rubbing his conker-like knuckles in a menacing way.

"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," smirked Malfoy. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house."

Ron whipped out his wand, but Hermione, who'd been reading, shut _Voyages with Vampires_ with a snap and whispered, "Look out!"

"What's all this?" Gilderoy Lockhart was striding towards them, his turquoise robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?"

Alexis started to speak but she was cut short as Lockhart flung an arm around her shoulders and thundered jovially, "Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Alexis Potter!"

Pinned to Lockhart's side and burning with humiliation, Alexis saw Malfoy slide smirking back into the crowd.  
"Come on then, Mr. Creevey," said Lockhart beaming at Colin. "A double portrait, can't say fairer than that, and we'll both sign it for you."

Colin fumbled for his camera and took the picture as the bell rang behind them, signaling the start of afternoon classes.  
"Off you go, move along there," Lockhart called to the crowd, and he set off back to the castle with Alexis, who was wishing she knew a good vanishing spell, still clasped to his side.

"A word to the wise, Alexis," said Lockhart paternally as they entered the building through a side door. "I covered up for you back there with young Creevy - if he was photographing me, too, your schoolfellows won't think you're setting yourself up so much ..."

Deaf to her stammers, Lockhart swept her down a corridor lined with staring students and up a staircase.  
"Let me just say that handing out signed pictures at this stage of your career isn't sensible - looks a tad bigheaded, Alexis, to be frank. There may well come a time when, like me, you'll need to keep a stack handy wherever you go, but -" he gave a little chortle, "I don't think you're quite there yet."

They had reached Lockhart's classroom and he let Alexis go at last. She yanked her robes straight and headed for a set at the very back of the class, where she busied himself with piling all seven of Lockhart's books in front of her, so that she could avoid looking at the real thing. Inside, she was fuming, and was very tempted to hex Lockhart.

The rest of the class came clattering in and Ron and Neville sat down on either side of Alexis. "You could've fried an egg on your face," said Ron. "I wouldn't be surprised if Colin tried to set up an Alexis Potter fan club."

"Shut up," snapped Alexis. The last thing she needed was for Lockhart to hear the phrase "Alexis Potter fan club".

When the whole class was seated, Lockhart cleared his throat loudly and silence fell. He reached forward, picked up Neville's copy of _Travels with Trolls_ and held it up to show his own, winking portrait on the front. "Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well, "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League and five times winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming Smile Award - but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly. "I see you've all bought a complete set of my books - well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about - just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in ..."

When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes. Start - now!"  
Alexis looked down at her paper and read:

_1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?_

_2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?_

_3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?_

On and on it went, over three sides of paper, right down to: _54. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?_

Since Alexis had read the books thoroughly and had an excellent memory, she was able to answer all the questions. However, she found them stupid, as none of them had anything to do with Defence. Deciding to have a little fun, she decided to make up silly answers. For the first one, she wrote "His favorite color is all the colors in the world." The second, she wrote, "To become really, really smart and actually do all the stuff he says he's done." For the third, she put down, "Being able to get out of bed in the morning and dressing himself." She put down similar answers for the rest of the questions.

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected in the papers and rifled through them in front of the class. "Tut, tut - hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in _Year with a Yeti_. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully - I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples - though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey!"

He gave them another roguish wink. Ron was now staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face; Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter.

Hermione, on the other hand, was listening to Lockhart attentively, but with a frown on her face, and gave a start when he mentioned her name.

" ... but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions - good girl! In fact -" he flipped her paper over, "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"

Hermione raised a hand.  
"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so, to business ..."

He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.  
"Now - be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizard kind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

In spite of herself, Alexis leaned around her pile of books for a better look at the cage.

Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front-row seat.  
"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them."

As the whole class held their breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover. "Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."

Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter which even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror.  
"Yes?" he smiled at Seamus.

"Well, they're not, they're not very - dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.

"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"

The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and pulling bizarre faces at the people nearest them.

"Right then," said Lockhart loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.

It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, upended the waste bin, grabbed bags and books and threw them out the smashed window; within minutes, half the class were sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the candelabra in the ceiling.

"Come on now, round them up, round them up, they're only pixies ..." Lockhart shouted.

He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!"

It has absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized Lockhart's wand and threw it out of the window, too. Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk, narrowly avoiding being squashed by Neville, who fell a second later as the candelabra gave way.

The bell rang and there was a mad rush towards the exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart straightened up, caught sight of Alexis and her friends, who were helping Neville up, and said, "Well, I'll ask you six to just nip the rest of them back into their cage."

He swept past them and shut the door quickly behind him.

"Can you believe him?" roared Ron, as one of the remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear.

"Maybe just wants to give us some hands-on experience?" suggested Hermione, though she looked doubtful. She immobilized two pixies at once with a clever Freezing Charm and stuffed them back into their cage.

"Yeah right," said Eric, who was trying to grab a pixie dancing out of reach with its tongue out. "He obviously didn't have a clue as to what he was doing."

"But his books," protested Hermione weakly. "You've read them. Look at all those amazing things he's done ..."

"He says he's done," Ron muttered. Hermione gave up, knowing that Ron had a point.

That afternoon, Kyra took Alexis to her dorm room and sat down. "Mum forgot to have this talk with you during the summer, so she asked me to give it to you. So I have to tell you all about the birds and the bees and stuff."

Alexis turned scarlet. "Uh, that's not necessary," she said hastily, realizing what Kyra was getting at. "I know where babies come from and about 'the time of the month' and everything else. I read."

"Just because you know that babies aren't brought by the stork or found in cabbage patches and that women will get their monthlies doesn't mean you know everything," said Kyra bluntly. "What about how babies are made? And practicing safe -"

"You don't have to worry!" interrupted Alexis, feeling her face turn even more crimson. "I know how babies are made. I know about not, um, sleeping with boys and stuff. I know the real world isn't like in Tortall, where women have pregnancy charms to keep from having babies. Or like in Valdemar, where women can take a powder of sorts to adjust their 'time of the month'. So you can be sure that I'm not going to have, er, s-e-x, until I'm much older. Like after I get married."

"Fine then," said Kyra, looking a trifle amused. "You know everything. I won't embarrass you further, Alexis. You can go."

Alexis fled the room. She had been very uncomfortable with Kyra attempting to give her 'The Talk.' Sophie, of course, noticed her red face. "What's the matter, Alexis?"

"Kyra just tried to give me 'The Talk'," explained Alexis. "Not that I really needed it, because I know what she tried to tell me."

Sophie turned crimson as well. "I understand. Aunt Kat and Grandmother gave 'The Talk' as well two weeks ago, and it was very embarrassing. Mostly with Grandmother, though. Aunt Kat tried not to make it so uncomfortable."

Neville and Eric turned up then, so they subject was quickly changed.

The next morning, Beth, dragging Luna, marched to the Gryffindor table and sat down, an outraged look on her face. "What are you doing here?" asked Ron, startled. "You're supposed to be at the Ravenclaw table, Beth."

"There's nothing in the rules that says I have to sit at my house table, Ron," snapped Beth. "And according to _Hogwarts, a History_, the Founders encouraged students to mix together and sit at other tables, not just their house table."

"What is the matter?" asked Ginny, looking concerned. "Why are you so upset, Beth?"

"It's my stupid dormmates!" responded Beth. "Once they found out that Luna is the daughter of the editor of _The Quibbler_, they insulted her, her father, and the magazine. Then they started calling her 'Loony', and said I was just as crazy as her for standing up for her. Now they've told the rest of the Ravenclaws about how crazy Luna is, and several of them have joined in the teasing. I reported it to Penelope Clearwater, one of the prefects, who repreminded my dormmates, but it just made things worse. Luna found her necklace made of corks missing this morning, and I'm positive one of them has something to do with its disappearance."

Alexis was angry, and saw that her friends looked angry as well. Luna was admittedly odd and had strange beliefs, but it didn't mean she deserved to be made fun of or have her belongings taken. Luna, however, appeared unconcerned, and ate her toast quite calmly. "Doesn't this bother you, Luna?" asked Sophie. "You don't deserve to be treated like this! Everyone's entitled to their own beliefs."

Luna looked up. "Be who you are and say what you wish, for those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."

Alexis opened her mouth to argue, then shut it. What Luna had said made sense. She continued, "Those who make fun of me do not matter. The rest of you do matter, for you are nice and it's like having friends -"

"We are your friends!" interrupted Neville. "Didn't you realize that? Sophie and I have considered you a friend ever since we've met you, and the rest have thought you as a friend after they met you as well, Luna."

Luna's normal expression disappeared, and a different one crossed her face. "I wasn't completely sure if I did have friends."

"Well, you do, Luna," said Beth firmly. "Other than Gary, you're my first and best friend. Yes, you might be a little odd and have weird beliefs, but I don't care. Underneath, you're a nice girl and a good friend. And once I get the hang of the Summoning Charm, I'm going to get your necklace back. Also, I'm going to learn a locking spell so that nobody can unlock your trunk without your key."

"Thank you, Beth," said Luna, her normal manner back. She poured herself a goblet of juice, and continued, "Did you read the article on Heliopaths that Daddy printed in _The Quibbler_?" Alexis and Eric exchanged looks at this change of subject, but kept quiet.

Beth looked exasperated, but answered Luna, and the conversation turned to _The Quibbler_ and the classes they had that day.


	8. Brooms and Strange Whispers

This chapter is dedicated to reviewer Cad2u.

The next day, Alexis found Daphne and told her about the room behind the painting of Lady Felicity so she could hang out with the others. That afternoon, Gary dug out a diary from his bag. "I found this in one of my books, and it's blank, which means nobody has written in it before. I guess the previous owner got it as a present and never bothered to write in it. I don't care to keep a diary, so I wondered if one of you wanted it."

"I'll take it, Gary," said Daphne. "I've been meaning to keep a diary, but never got around to buying one. Thanks." She took the diary and slipped it into her bag.

"What am I going to do about Colin Creevy?" asked Alexis in an annoyed tone of voice. "He's been following me around all day and said 'hello' to me six times already just so he can hear me answer back. I don't want to be rude, but it's getting annoying."

"Eventually the fact that you're famous will wear off and Colin will leave you alone," said Sophie. "So just be patient and put up with Colin for now, Alexis."

"It's easy for you to say, Sophie," snapped Alexis. "Nobody's following you around because you're famous for something you can barely even remember."

On Saturday, Alexis was shaken awake several hours earlier than she would have liked by Kyra. "Whassamatter?" asked Alexis groggily.

"Oliver Wood instructed me to wake you up for Quidditch practice," responded Kyra.

Alexis squinted at the window. There was a thin mist hanging across the pink and gold sky. Now that she was awake, she couldn't understand hoe she could have slept through the racket the birds were making. "Kyra," she croaked, "it's the crack of dawn."

"I understand that, but Oliver insisted that the entire Quidditch team be up, saying that it's part of the new training programme. Don't worry, I'll be having some words with him. I don't like being woken up so early by Hestia, with a note from Oliver telling me to wake up the girls on the team since he can't go up the stairs to the girls' dorms. If he keeps this up, I may decide to break up with him. There are drawbacks to dating someone who's a Quidditch nut. Now, I have to go wake up Katie."

Yawning and shivering slightly, Alexis climbed out of bed and tried to find her Quidditch robes. Kyra left the room, shaking her head.

When Alexis had found her scarlet team robes and pulled on her cloak for warmth, she scribbled a note to Hermione and Sophie explaining where she'd gone and went down the spiral staircase to the common room, his Nimbus Two Thousand on her shoulder. She had just reached the portrait hole when there was a clatter behind her and Colin Creevy came dashing down the boys' staircase, his camera swinging madly around his neck and something clutched in his hand.

"I heard someone saying your name on the stairs, Alexis! Look what I've got here! I've had it developed, I wanted to show you –.' Alexis looked bemusedly at the photograph that Colin was brandishing under her nose.

A moving, black and white Lockhart was tugging hard on an arm Alexis recognised as her own. She was pleased to see that her photographic self was putting up a good fight and refusing to be dragged into view. As she watched, Lockhart gave up and slumped, panting, against the white edge of the picture. "Will you sign it?" asked Colin eagerly.

"Later, Colin," answered Alexis, glancing around to check that the room was really deserted. "Sorry, Colin, I'm in a hurry – Quidditch practice."

She climbed through the portrait hole. Colin insisted on following her, for he'd never watched a Quidditch game before. All the way down to the changing rooms, he asked questions, and Alexis was forced to answer them and explain all about Quidditch.

When they finally reached the changing rooms, Colin said that he'd find a good seat and hurried off to the stands. Alexis saw Katie Bell behind her. "He's really annoying isn't he?" asked Katie, shaking her head. Alexis nodded in agreement and they went in.

The rest of the Quidditch team were already there, and Wood was the only person who looked truly awake. Fred and George were sitting, puffy-eyed and tousled-haired, next to Alicia Spinnet, who seemed to be nodding off against the wall behind her. Angelina Johnson was yawning next to her.

"There you are, Alexis and Katie, what kept you?" asked Wood briskly. "Now, I wanted a quick talk with you all before we actually get onto the pitch, because the summer devising a whole new training programme, which I really think will make all the difference..." He held up a large diagram of a Quidditch pitch, on which were drawn many lines, arrows, and crosses in different coloured-inks. He took out his wand, tapped the board, and the arrows began to wiggle over the diagram like caterpillars. As Wood launched into a speech about his new tactics, Fred's head dropped right on to Alicia's shoulder and he began to snore.

The first board took nearly twenty minutes to explain, but there was another board under that, and third under that one. Alexis sank into a stupor as Wood droned on and on.

"So," said Wood, at long last, jerking Alexis from a wistful fantasy about what she could be eating for breakfast at this time up at the castle, "is that clear? Any questions?"

"I've got a question, Oliver," said George, who had woken with a start. "Why couldn't you have told us all this yesterday when we were awake?"

Wood wasn't pleased. "We barely won the Quidditch Cup last year! Due to circumstances beyond our control, we could have lost! If it hadn't been for Sophie Kent volunteering to substitute and turning out to be a decent player, we would have."

Alexis shifted guiltily in her seat. She had been unconscious in the hospital wing for the final match of the previous year. Gryffindor had been a player short, but luckily, Sophie had been able to replace her and help them win the Cup.

"So this year," continued Wood, "we train harder than ever before … OK, let's go and put our new theories into practice!" He seized his broomstick and led the way out of the changing rooms. Stiff-legged and still yawning, the rest of the team followed him.

They had been in the changing room so long that the sun was up properly now, although remains of mist hung over the grass in the stadium. As Alexis walked onto the pitch, she saw her closest friends sitting in the stand.

"Aren't you finished yet?" called Ron incredulously.

"Haven't even started yet," replied Alexis, looking jealously at the toast and marmalade her friends had brought out of the Great Hall "Wood's been teaching us new moves."

She mounted her broom and kicked at the ground, soaring up into the air. The cool morning air whipped her face, waking her far more effectively than Wood's long talk. It felt wonderful to be back on the Quidditch pitch. She soared right around the stadium at full speed, racing Fred and George.

"What's that funny clicking noise?" called Fred, as they hurtled around the corner.

Alexis looked into the stands. Colin was sitting in one of the highest seats, his camera raised, taking picture after picture, the sound strangely magnified in the deserted stadium.

"Look this way, Alexis! This way!" he cried shrilly.

"Who's that?" inquired Fred.

"No idea," she lied, putting on speed so she would be as far away from Colin as possible.

"What's going on?" asked Wood, frowning, as he skimmed through the air towards them. "Why's that first year taking pictures? I don't like it. He could be a Slytherin spy, trying to find out about our new training programme."

"He's in Gryffindor, Oliver," said Katie. "He keeps following Alexis around."

"And the Slytherins don't need a spy, Oliver," added George.

"What makes you say that?" demanded Wood testily.

"Because they're here in person," said George, pointing. Several people in green robes were walking out onto the pitch, broomsticks in their hands.

"I don't believe it!" Wood hissed in outrage. "I booked the pitch for today! We'll see about this!" He shot towards the ground, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. The rest of the team followed.

"Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"

Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."

"But I booked the pitch!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"

"Ah," said Flint, "but I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. _I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practise today on the Quidditch pitch owing to the need to train their new Seeker._"

"You've got a new seeker?" asked Wood, distracted. "Where?"

And from the six large figures before them came a seventh, smaller boy, smirking all over his pale pointed face. It was Draco Malfoy.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" asked Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint, as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team." All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words "Nimbus Two Thousand and One" gleamed under the Gryffindors' noses in the early morning sun.

"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Tow Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps," he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives, "sweeps the board with them."

None of the Gryffindor team could think of anything to say for a moment. Malfoy was smirking so broadly his cold eyes were reduced to slits.

"Oh look," said Flint. "A pitch invasion." Alexis's friends, including Daphne, who had just arrived, were crossing the grass to see what was going on.

"What's happening?" Eric asked. "Why aren't you playing? And what's _he_ doing here?"

"I'm the new Slytherin seeker, Carrow," said Malfoy, smugly. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."

Sophie and Hermione narrowed their eyes, while the others gaped, open-mouthed, at the seven superb broomsticks in front of them.

"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep Fives, I expect a museum would bid for them." The Slytherin team howled with laughter.

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to _buy_ their way in," said Hermione sharply. "_They_ got in on pure talent." The smug look on Malfoy's face flickered.

"No one asked your opinion, you filthy little Mudblood," he spat.

There was an instant uproar at his words. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him. Alicia shrieked, "_How dare you_!" and Daphne went around Flint and slapped Malfoy hard, on his cheek. "Don't you ever use that word again!"

Ron pulled out his wand, but Sophie pushed it aside. "Daphne's already hit Malfoy."

Malfoy put a hand to his cheek and glared at Daphne. "You're in Slytherin! How dare you hit me, Daphne Greengrass!"

"If you ever insult Hermione again, I'll give you a black eye and then hex you!" snapped Daphne. "I mean it! No one can insult my friends and get away with it!"

The other Slytherins stared at Daphne in shock. For that matter, the Gryffindor team were shocked as well. After several minutes, Malfoy muttered an apology, but it was obvious he didn't really mean it. Daphne appeared to accept this, for she turned and stalked away in a huff. The Gryffindor team stared at each other, then silently left.

After changing, Alexis found her friends and they went to visit Hagrid. They knocked on the door. Hagrid appeared at once, looking very grumpy, but his expression brightened when he saw who it was. "Bin wonderin' when you'd come ter see me – come in, come in – thought you mighta bin Professor Lockhart back again." He explained why Lockhart had been visiting as he poured tea and set out a plate of treacle tart. When Alexis asked why such a fraud had been hired, Hagrid said it was because nobody else had applied for the job, as people were starting to think the position was jinxed.

Neville and Sophie then told Hagrid about what had just gone with the Slytherins. He looked outraged when he heard that Malfoy had called Hermione a 'Mudblood'.

"He didn't!" he growled at Hermione.

"He did," she said, making a face. "Daphne Greengrass slapped Malfoy for it, and told him that if he ever insulted me again, she'd give him a black eye and hex him."

After awhile Hagrid led them outside and showed them his pumpkins. He mentioned that Ginny, Luna, Beth, Gary, and David had been by yesterday and complimented him on the pumpkins. It was apparent to Alexis that the 'bit o' help' Hagrid had been giving them was probably an Engorgement Charm.

It was nearly lunchtime, ad as Alexis had only a bit of treacle fudge and a mug of tea since dawn, she was keen to back to school to eat. They said goodbye to Hagrid and walked back up to the castle. When they entered the Entrance Hall, they saw Snape and Daphne. Snape looked furious. "Mr. Malfoy has informed me that you hit him, Miss Greengrass. You know fighting is not allowed in the school or grounds!"

"Well, he insulted my friend Hermione!" retorted Daphne. "Malfoy called her the 'm' word. The one that's a really insulting name for Muggleborns."

"That is no excuse," said Snape coldly. "You have detention with Filch tonight." He swept away, leaving Daphne seething with anger over the injustice of it all.

"Well, Daphne, you shouldn't have hit Malfoy," said Hermione. "But I do appreciate your standing up for me." Daphne turned and smiled wryly, then entered the Great Hall.

After lunch, Sophie sent off a letter to her grandmother. "The Slytherins won't be the only ones with new brooms for long," she said, a devious look on her face. "Grandmother won't like it once she reads my letter and finds out that the Slytherins have new brooms."

On Monday morning, Sophie's words came true. Seven long packages were each delivered to the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff tables. A letter was left at the staff table. Professor Dumbledore opened and read it. Then he stood up and said, "Mrs. Sophia Kent, the grandmother of one of our students, has purchased twenty-one Nimbus Two Thousand Ones and are donating them to the Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff Quidditch teams."

The Slytherins looked unhappy at this announcement, and Malfoy no longer looked smug.

The Gryffindor table looked at Sophie. "What did you write to your grandmother?" asked Alexis. "You didn't tell her to donate new brooms, did you?"

"No," responded Sophie. "I just wrote that the Slytherin team had new brooms, courtesy of Mr. Malfoy. Grandmother's still mad about running into him at Flourish and Blotts, so she'd want to get back at him. She decided on her own to donate new brooms, and in the interest of fairness, would see to it that all three remaining houses would get them."

The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff teams came over and thanked Sophie and told her to send their thanks to her grandmother. Wood thanked Sophie several times, and looked as if he could have hugged and kissed her for the gift. Throughout the next week, Sophie was very popular among the Gryffindors and the other two houses for her grandmother's donation. The Slytherins, obviously, weren't pleased, and didn't miss an opportunity to insult Sophie whenever they passed her in the hall.

In Potions, Professor Snape focused much of his attention on Sophie, and made up excuses to make snide comments at her. The only thing he couldn't do was fail her for her the potions she made, for they always turned out perfect.

On Friday afternoon, Alexis was coming back from the library with Beth and Luna. They had almost reached the Ravenclaw common room when Alexis was certain that she heard a voice of breath-taking, ice cold venom saying, "_Come …come to me …let me rip you …let me tear you …let me kill you…_" She gave a huge jump.

"_What_?" she asked loudly.

Beth and Luna turned to stare at her. "We didn't say anything, Alexis," said Beth.

"That – that voice that said – didn't you hear it?" she asked.

Beth looked at her in high astonishment, while Luna said, "Maybe you heard some Wrackspurts or something, Alexis." She began flapping her hands about.

Beth rolled her eyes. "I don't think there are any Wrackspurts around, Luna. Alexis, you must have been imagining that you heard something."

"I guess," said Alexis, but she wasn't too convinced. She strained to hear the voice again, but heard nothing. Feeling dazed, she left Beth and Luna at the entrance to the Ravenclaw common room and went up to the Gryffindor common room.

When she told her other friends about the voice she heard, Hermione agreed that Alexis must have been imagining she heard something. "You know Wrackspurts don't exist, no matter what Luna says, so it couldn't have been that. If Beth didn't hear anything, then you must have imagined it."

"I guess," said Alexis. Feeling tired, she went upstairs to bed.


	9. Deathday Party and Chamber Openings

A/N: Most of this is taken from the book, and I apologize. I couldn't really think of anything else to add to it or change it so that it would be more original. I promise that the next chapter will be more original. This chapter is dedicated to reviewer Tabbycat1220.

October arrived, spreading a damp chill over the grounds and into the castle. Madam Pomfrey, the matron, was kept busy by a sudden spate of colds among staff and students. Her Pepper-up Potion worked instantly, though it left the drinker smoking at the ears for several hours afterwards. Ginny Weasley, who had been looking peaky, was bullied into taking some by Percy. The steam pouring from under her vivid hair gave the impression that her whole head was on fire.

Daphne had started acting a bit odd ever since her detention of polishing the stuff in the trophy room without magic. She was constantly writing in the diary Gary had given her, and was very secretive about it. She never let anyone so much as take a brief look at what she had written, which was very unusual. Not that any of her friends would invade her privacy, but Alexis had let Sophie and Hermione read one or two entries in her diary that weren't private and vice versa. Daphne became as peaky as Ginny, but nobody bullied her into taking Pepper-up Potion, though Sophie mentioned it once.

Raindrops the size of bullets thundered on the castle windows for days on end; the lake rose, the flowerbeds turned into muddy streams and Hagrid's pumpkins swelled to the size of garden shreds. Oliver Wood's enthusiasm for regular training sessions, however, was not dampened, which was why Alexis was to be found, one late stormy Saturday afternoon a few days before Halloween, returning to Gryffindor Tower, drenched to the skin and splattered with mud.

The only good thing was the fact that they had excellent brooms, though Alexis had been a little reluctant to stop using her own broom. However, she had to admit that the Nimbus Two Thousand and One was faster and she didn't want to give Malfoy an advantage, even if she was the better seeker.

As Alexis squelched along the deserted corridor she came across somebody who looked very preoccupied. Nearly-Headless Nick, the ghost of Gryffindor Tower, was staring morosely out of a window, muttering under his breath, "... don't fulfill their requirements ... half an inch, if that ..."

"Hello, Sir Nicolas," said Alexis. While she usually thought of him as 'Nearly-Headless Nick', she normally called him by his proper name.

"Hello, hello," said Nearly-Headless Nick, starting and looking round. He wore a dashing, plumed hat on his long curly hair, and a tunic with a ruff, which concealed the fact that his neck was almost completely severed. He was pale as smoke, and Alexis could see right through him to the dark sky and torrential rain outside.

"It's nice to you, Alexis," said Nick, folding a transparent letter as he spoke and tucking it inside his doublet.

"You look troubled, Sir Nicolas," said Alexis.

"Ah," Nearly-Headless Nick waved an elegant hand. "A matter of no importance ... it's not as though I really wanted to join ... thought I'd apply, but apparently I 'don't fulfill requirements'." In spite of his airy tone, there was a look of great bitterness on his face. "But you would think, wouldn't you," he erupted suddenly, pulling the letter back out of his pocket, "that getting hit forty-five times in the neck with a blunt axe would qualify you to join the Headless Hunt?"

"Oh - yes," said Alexis, who was obviously supposed to agree.

"I mean, nobody wishes more than I do that it had all been quick and clean, and my head had come off properly, I mean, it would have saved me a great deal of pain and ridicule. However ..." Nearly-Headless Nick shook his letter open and read furiously. "'We can only accept huntsmen whose heads have parted completely from their bodies. You will appreciate that it would be impossible otherwise for members to participate in hunt activities such as Horseback Head-Juggling and Head Polo. It is with the greatest regret, therefore, that I must inform you that you do not fulfill our requirements. With very best wishes, Sir Patrick Delaney-Podmore.'"

Fuming, Nearly-Headless Nick stuffed the letter away. "Half an inch of skin and sinew holding my neck on, Alexis! Most people would think that's good and beheaded, but oh no, it's not enough for Sir Properly Decapitated-Podmore."

"That's too bad," said Alexis. "I wish I could -" She looked down and found herself gazing into a pair of lamp-like yellow eyes. It was Mrs. Norris, the skeletal grey cat who was used by the caretaker, Argus Filch, as a sort of deputy in his endless battle against the students.

"You'd better got out of here, Alexis," said Nick quickly. "Filch isn't in a good mood. He's got flu and some third-years accidentally plastered frog brains all over the ceiling in dungeon five; he's been cleaning all morning, and if he sees you dripping mud all over the place ..."

"Right," said Alexis, backing away from the accusing stare of Mrs. Norris, but not quickly enough.

Drawn to the spot by the mysterious power that seemed to connect him with his foul cat, Argus Filch burst suddenly through a tapestry at Alexis's right, wheezing and looking wildly about for the rule-breaker. There was a thick tartan scarf bound around his head, and his nose was unusually purple.

"Filth!" he shouted, his jowls aquiver, his eyes popping alarmingly as he pointed at the muddy puddle that had dripped from Alexis's Quidditch robes. "Mess and muck everywhere! I've had enough of it, I tell you! Follow me, Miss Potter!"

So Alexis waved a gloomy goodbye to Nearly Headless Nick, and followed Filch back downstairs, doubling the number of muddy footprints on the floor. Alexis had never been inside Filch's office before; it was a place most students avoided. The room was dingy and windowless, lit by a single lamp dangling from the low ceiling. A faint smell of fried fish lingered about the place. Wooden filing cabinets stood around the walls; from their labels, Alexis could see that they contained details of every pupil Filch had ever punished. She wasn't surprised to see that Fred and George Weasley had an entire drawer to themselves.

A highly polished collection of chains and manacles hung on the wall behind Filch's desk. It was common knowledge that he was always begging Dumbledore to let him suspend students by their ankles from the ceiling.

Filch grabbed a quill from a pot on his desk and began shuffling around looking for parchment. "Dung," he muttered furiously, "great sizzling dragon bogies ... frog brains ... rat intestines ... I've had enough of it ... make an example ... where's the form ... yes ..."

He retrieved a large roll of parchment from his desk drawer and stretched it out in front of him, dipping his long black quill into the ink pot. "Name ... Alexis Potter. Crime ..."

"It was only a bit of mud!" protested Alexis. "Besides, I could help you clean it up. I could use a Cleaning Charm or Vanish-"

"It's only a bit of mud to you, girl, but to me it's an extra hour scrubbing!" shouted Filch, a drip shivering unpleasantly at the end of his bulbous nose. "And magic's not allowed in the corridors! Crime ... befouling the castle ... suggested sentence ..."

Dabbing at his streaming nose, Filch squinted unpleasantly at Alexis, who waited with bated breath for her sentence to fall. But as Filch lowered his quill, there was a great BANG! on the ceiling of the office, which made the oil lamps rattle.

"PEEVES!" Filch roared, flinging down his quill in a transport of rage. "I'll have you this time, I'll have you!"

And without a backwards glance at Alexis, Filch ran flat-footed from the office, Mrs. Norris streaking alongside him. Peeves was the school poltergeist, a grinning, airborne menace who lived to cause havoc and distress.

Alexis didn't much like Peeves, but couldn't help feeling grateful for his timing. Hopefully, whatever Peeves had done (and it sounded as though he'd wrecked something very big this time) would distract Filch from her.

Thinking that she should probably wait for Filch to come back, Alexis sank into a moth-eaten chair next to the desk. There was only one thing on it apart from her half-completed form: a large, glossy, purple envelope with silver lettering on the front. With a quick glance at the door to check that Filch wasn't on his way back, she picked up the envelope and read: "KWIKSPELL: _A Correspondence Course in Beginner's Magic_

Intrigued, Alexis flicked the envelope open and pulled out the sheaf of parchment inside. More curly silver writing on the front page said:

_Feel out of step in the world of modern magic? Find yourself making excuses not to perform simple spells? Ever been taunted for your woeful wand work?  
There is an answer!  
Kwikspell is an all-new, fail-safe, quick-result, easy-learn course. Hundreds of witches and wizards have benefited from the Kwikspell method!_

_Madam Z. Nettles of Topsham writes:  
'I had no memory for incantations and my potions were a family joke! Now, after a Kwikspell course, I am the centre of attention at parties and friends beg for the recipe of my Scintillation Solution!'  
_  
_Warlock D. J. Prod of Didsbury says:  
'My wife used to sneer at my feeble charms but one month into your fabulous Kwikspell course I succeeded in turning her into a yak! Thank you, Kwikspell!_'

Fascinated, Alexis thumbed through the rest of the envelope's contents. Why on earth did Filch want a Kwikspell course? Did this mean that he wasn't magical, like how the Longbottoms had once thought Neville was?

Alexis was just reading "Lesson One: Holding Your Wand (Some Useful Tips)" when shuffling footsteps outside told her that Filch was coming back. Stuffing the parchment back into the envelope, she threw it back onto the desk just as the door opened.  
Filch was looking triumphant. "That vanishing cabinet was extremely valuable!" he was saying gleefully to Mrs. Norris. "We'll have Peeves out this time, my sweet."

His eyes fell on Alexis and then darted to the Kwikspell envelope which, Alexis realized too late, was lying two feet away from where it had started.

Filch's pasty face went brick red. Alexis braced himself for a tidal wave of fury. Filch hobbled across to the desk, snatched up the envelope and threw it into a drawer. "Have you - did you read -?" He spluttered.

"No," Alexis lied quickly.

Filch's knobby hands were twisting together. "If I though you'd read my private ... not that it's mine ... for a friend ... be that as it may ... however ..."

Alexis was staring at him, alarmed; Filch had never looked madder. His eyes were popping, a tic was going in one of his pouchy cheeks and the tartan scarf didn't help.

"Very well ... go ... and don't breathe a word ... not that ... however, if you didn't read ... go now, I have to write up Peeves' report ... go ..."

Amazed at her luck, Alexis sped out of the office, up the corridor and back upstairs. To escape from Filch's office without punishment was probably some kind of school record.

"Alexis! Alexis! Did it work?" Nearly-Headless Nick came gliding out of a classroom. Behind him, she could see the wreckage of a large black and gold cabinet which appeared to have been dropped from a great height.

"I persuaded Peeves to crash it right over Filch's office," said Nick eagerly. "Thought it might distract him -"

"Was that you?" asked Alexis gratefully. "Yeah, it worked, I didn't even get detention. Thanks, Nick!"

They set off down the corridor together. Nearly-Headless Nick, Alexis noticed, was still holding Sir Patrick's rejection letter.

"I wish there was something I could do for you about the Headless Hunt," Alexis said.

Nearly-Headless Nick stopped in his tracks and Alexis walked right through him. She wished she hadn't; it was like stepping through an icy shower.

"But there is something you could do for me," said Nick excitedly. "Alexis - would I be asking too much - but, no you wouldn't want -"

"What is it?" inquired Alexis.

"Well, this Halloween will be my five hundredth death day," said Nearly Headless Nick, drawing himself up and looking dignified.

"Oh," said Alexis, not sure whether he should look sorry or happy about this. "Right."

"I'm holding a party down in one of the roomier dungeons. Friends will be coming from all over the country. It would be such an honor if you would attend. Your friends would be most welcome too, of course - but I dare say you'd rather go to the school feast?" He watched Alexis on tenterhooks.

"No," said Alexis quickly, even though she wasn't sure about attending a Deathday party, "I'll come -"

"My dear girl! Alexis Potter, at my Deathday Party! And," he hesitated, looking excited, "do you think you could possibly mention to Sir Patrick how very frightening and impressive you find me?"

"Of - of course," said Alexis. Nearly-Headless Nick beamed at her.

"A Death day Party?" said Hermione keenly, when Alexis had changed at last and joined her friends in the common room. "I bet there aren't many living people who can say they've been to one of those - it'll be fascinating!"

"Why would anyone want to celebrate the day they died?" said Ron, who was halfway through his Potions homework and grumpy. "Sounds dead depressing to me ..."

Rain was still lashing the windows, which were now inky black, but inside, all looked bright and cheerful. The firelight glowed over the countless squashy armchairs where people sat reading, talking, doing homework, or in the case of Fred and George Weasley, trying to find out what would happen if you fed a Filibuster Firework to a Salamander.

Fred had 'rescued' the brilliant orange, fire-dwelling lizard from a Care of Magical Creatures class and it was now smoldering gently on a table surrounded by a knot of curious people.

Alexis was on the point of telling her friends about Filch and the Kwikspell course when the Salamander suddenly whizzed into the air, emitting loud sparks and bangs as it whirled wildly round the room.

The sight of Percy bellowing himself hoarse at Fred and George, the spectacular display of tangerine stars showering from the Salamander's mouth, and its escape into the fire, with accompanying explosions, drove both Filch and the Kwikspell envelope from Alexis's mind.

By the time Halloween arrived, Alexis was regretting her rash promise to go to the Deathday Party. The rest of the school were happily anticipating their Halloween feast; the Great Hall had been decorated with the usual live bats, Hagrid's vast pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three men to sit in and there were rumors that Dumbledore had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons for the entertainment.

"A promise is a promise," Hermione said bossily. "You said you'd go to the Deathday Party."

Ginny and the rest were going to the Halloween feast, for Alexis wasn't about to ask them to miss their very first one. Besides, Beth, Luna, Gary, and David weren't in Gryffindor. Daphne wasn't going to the Deathday party either, for she had become rather distant the past few days and seemed preoccupied with something. Eric, Ron, and Sophie were most reluctant to attend the Deathday party, but because of their friendship with Alexis, were coming anyway.

So, at seven o'clock, Alexis and her closest friends walked straight past the doorway to the packed Great Hall, which was glittering invitingly with gold plates and candles, and directed their steps instead towards the dungeons. The passageway leading to Nearly Headless Nick's party had been lined with candles too, though the effect was far from cheerful: these were long, thin, jet-black tapers, all burning bright blue, casting a dim, ghostly light even over their own living faces.

The temperature dropped with every step they took. As Alexis shivered and drew her robes tightly around him, she heard what sounded like a thousand fingernails scraping an enormous blackboard.

"Is that supposed to be music?" Neville whispered. Sophie shrugged in reply.

They turned a corner and saw Nearly Headless Nick standing at a doorway hung with black velvet drapes.

"My dear friends," he said mournfully, "welcome, welcome ... so pleased you could come ..." He swept off his plumed hat and bowed them inside.

It was an incredible sight. The dungeon was full of hundreds of pearly-white, translucent people, mostly drifting around a crowded dance floor, waltzing to the dreadful, quavering sound of thirty musical saws, played by an orchestra on a black-draped platform.

A chandelier overhead blazed midnight blue with a thousand more black candles. Their breath rose in a mist before them; it was like stepping into a freezer.

"Shall we have a look around?" Alexis suggested, wanting to warm up her feet.

"Careful not to walk through anyone," said Ron nervously, and they set off around the edge of the dance floor. They passed a group of gloomy nuns, a ragged man wearing chains, and the Fat Friar, a cheerful Hufflepuff ghost, who was talking to a knight with an arrow sticking out of his forehead.

Alexis wasn't surprised to see that the Bloody Baron, a gaunt, staring Slytherin ghost covered in silver bloodstains, was being given a wide berth by other ghosts.

"Oh no," said Hermione, stopping abruptly. "Turn back, turn back, I don't want to talk to Moaning Myrtle -"

"Who?" asked Eric as they backtracked quickly.

"She haunts the girls' toilet on the first floor," answered Sophie, making a face. Alexis couldn't help making an identical face.

"She haunts a toilet?"

"Yes. It's been out of order all year because she keeps having tantrums and flooding the place. I never went in there anyway if I could avoid it, it's awful trying to go to the loo with her wailing at you -"

"Look, food!" exclaimed Ron.

On the other side of the dungeon was a long table, also covered in black velvet. They approached it eagerly, but next moment had stopped in their tracks, horrified. The smell was quite disgusting. Large, rotten fish were laid on handsome silver platters; cakes, burned charcoal black, were heaped on salvers; there was a great maggoty haggis, a slab of cheese covered in furry green mould and, in pride of place, an enormous grey cake in the shape of a tombstone, with tar-like icing forming the words, _Sir Nicolas do Mimsy-Porpington died 31st October, 1492_

Alexis watched, amazed, as a portly ghost approached the table, crouched low and walked through it, his mouth held wide so that it passed through one of the stinking salmon.

"Can you taste it if you walk through it?" Alexis asked him.

"Almost," said the ghost sadly, and he drifted away.

"I expect they've let it rot to give it a stronger flavor," said Hermione knowledgeably, pinching her nose and leaning closer to look at the putrid haggis.

"Can we move? I feel sick," said Ron.

They had barely turned around, however, when a little man swooped suddenly from under the table and came to a halt in mid-air before them.

"Hello, Peeves," said Neville cautiously.

Unlike the ghosts around them, Peeves the poltergeist was the very reverse of pale and transparent. He was wearing a bright orange party hat, a revolving bow-tie and a broad grin on his wide, wicked face.

"Nibbles?" he said sweetly, offering them a bowl of peanuts covered in fungus.

"No thanks," said Hermione.

"Heard you talking about poor Myrtle," said Peeves, his eyes dancing. "Rude you was about poor Myrtle." He took a deep breath and bellowed, "OY! MYRTLE!"

"Oh, no, Peeves, don't tell her what I said, she'll be really upset," Sophie whispered frantically. "I didn't mean it, I don't mind her - er, hello, Myrtle."

The squat ghost of a girl had glided over. She had the glummest face of all the ghosts there, half-hidden behind her lank and thick, pearly spectacles. "What?" she said sulkily.

"How are you Myrtle?" said Sophie, in a falsely bright voice. "It's nice to see you out of the toilet."

Myrtle sniffed.

"Miss Kent was just talking about you -" said Peeves slyly in Myrtle's ear.

"Just saying - saying - how nice you look tonight," said Sophie, glaring at Peeves.

"You're making fun of me," she said, silver tears welling rapidly in her small, see-through eyes.

"No, we weren't!" said Alexis hastily. "We were saying that you are a very charming girl and quite lovely. Weren't we?" The others nodded in agreement.

"Don't lie to me," Myrtle gasped, tears now flooding down her face, while Peeves chuckled happily over her shoulder. "D'you think I don't know what people call me behind my back? Fat Myrtle! Ugly Myrtle! Miserable, moaning, moping Myrtle!"

"You've missed out 'spotty'," Peeves hissed in her ear.

Moaning Myrtle burst into anguished sobs and fled from the dungeon. Peeves shot after her, pelting her with moldy peanuts, yelling, "Spotty! Spotty!"

"Oh dear," said Hermione sadly.

Nearly Headless Nick now drifted towards them through the crowd. "Enjoying yourselves?"

"Oh, yes," they lied.

"Not a bad turnout," said Nearly Headless Nick proudly. "The Wailing Widow came all the way up from Kent ... It's nearly time for my speech, I'd better go and warn the orchestra ..."

The orchestra, however, stopped playing at that very moment. They, and everyone else in the dungeon, fell silent, looking around in excitement, as a hunting horn sounded. "Oh, here we go," said Nearly Headless Nick bitterly.

Through the dungeon wall burst a dozen ghost horses, each ridden by a headless horseman. The assembly clapped wildly; Alexis started to clap too, but stopped quickly at the sight of Nick's face.

The horses galloped into the middle of the dance floor and halted, resting and plunging; a large ghost at the front, whose bearded head was under his arm, blowing the horn, leapt down, lifted his head high in the air so he could see over the crowd (everyone laughed), and strode over to Nearly Headless Nick, squashing his head back onto his neck.

"Nick!" he roared. "How are you? Head still hanging in there?"

He gave a hearty guffaw and clapped Nearly Headless Nick on the shoulder. "Welcome, Patrick," said Nick stiffly.

"Live 'uns!" said Sir Patrick, spotting Alexis and her friends and giving a huge, fake jump of astonishment, so that his head fell off again (the crowd howled with laughter).

"Very amusing," said Nearly-Headless Nick darkly.

"Don't mind Nick!" shouted Sir Patrick's head from the floor. "Still upset we won't let him join the Hunt! But I mean to say - look at the fellow -"

"I think," said Alexis hurriedly, at a meaningful look from Nick, "Nick's very - frightening and - er -"

"Ha!" yelled Sir Patrick's head. "Bet he asked you to say that!"

"If I could have everyone's attention, it's time for my speech!" said Nearly-Headless Nick loudly, striding towards the podium and climbing into an icy-blue spotlight. "My late lamented lords, ladies and gentleman, it is my great sorrow ..."

But nobody heard much more. Sir Patrick and the rest of the Headless Hunt had just started a game of Head Hockey and the crowd was turning to watch.

Nearly-Headless Nick tried vainly to recapture his audience, but gave up as Sir Patrick's head went sailing past him to loud cheers.  
Alexis was very cold by now, not to mention hungry.

"I can't stand much more of this," Ron muttered, his teeth chattering, as the orchestra ground back into action and the ghosts swept back onto the dance floor.

"Let's go," Alexis agreed.

They backed towards the door, nodding and beaming at anyone who looked at them, and a minute later were hurrying back up the passageway full of black candles.

"Pudding might not be finished yet," said Ron hopefully, leading the way towards the steps to the Entrance Hall.

And then Alexis heard it. " ... _rip ... tear ... kill_ ..." It was the same voice, the same cold, murderous voice she had heard near the Ravenclaw common room.

She stumbled to a halt, clutching at the stone wall, listening with all her might, looking around, squinting up and down the dimly lit passageway.

"Alexis, what're you -?" began Hermione.

"It's that voice again - shut up a minute -"

" ... _soo hungry ... for so long_ ..."

"Listen!" said Alexis urgently, and the others froze watching her.

"... _kill ... time to kill_ ..."

The voice was growing fainter. Alexis was sure it was moving away - moving upwards. A mixture of fear and excitement gripped her as she stared at the dark ceiling; how could it be moving upwards?

Was it a phantom, to whom stone ceilings didn't matter?

"This way," she shouted, and she began to run, up the stairs, into the Entrance Hall.  
It was no good hoping to hear anything here, the babble from the Halloween feast was echoing out of the Great Hall. Alexis sprinted up the marble staircase to the first floor, her friends clattering behind her.

"Alexis, what are we -" began Neville

"SHH!"  
Alexis strained his ears. Distantly, from the floor above, and growing fainter still, she heard the voice: "..._ I smell blood ... I SMELL BLOOD_!"

Her stomach lurched. "It's going to kill someone!" she shouted, and ignoring her friends' bewildered faces, she ran up the next flight of steps three at a time, trying to listen over her own pounding footsteps.  
Alexis hurtled around the whole of the second floor, the others panting behind her, not stopping until they turned a corner into the last, deserted passage.

"Alexis, what was that all about?" said Ron, wiping sweat off his face. "I couldn't hear anything ..."

But Hermione gave a sudden gasp, pointing down the corridor. "Look!"

Something was shining on the wall ahead. They approached, slowly, squinting through the darkness.

Foot-high words had been daubed on the wall between two windows, shimmering in the light cast by the flaming torches.

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED.  
ENEMIES OF THE HEIR, BEWARE.

"What's that thing - hanging underneath?" said Eric, a slight quiver in his voice.

As the edged nearer, Alexis almost slipped over: there was a large puddle of water on the floor. Ron and Hermione grabbed her, and they all inched towards the message, eyes fixed on a dark shadow beneath it. All six of them realised what it was at once, and leapt backwards with a splash.

Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat, was hanging by her tail from the torch bracket. She was stiff as a board, her eyes wide and staring.

For a few seconds, they didn't move. Then Ron said, "Let's get out of here."

"Shouldn't we try and help -" Alexis began awkwardly.

"Trust me," said Ron. "We don't want to be found here."

But it was too late. A rumble, as though of distant thunder, told them that the feast had just ended. From either end of the corridor where they stood came the sound of hundreds of feet climbing the stairs, and the loud, happy talk of well-fed people; next moment, students were crashing into the passage from both ends.

The chatter, the bustle, the noise died suddenly as the people in front spotted the handing cat. The six of them stood alone, in the middle of the corridor, as silence fell among the mass of students, pressing forwards to see the grisly sight.  
Then someone shouted through the quiet. "Enemies of the heir, beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!" It was Draco Malfoy.

He had pushed to the front of the crowd, his cold eyes alive, his usually bloodless face flushed, as he grinned at the sight of the hanging, immobile cat.

"What's going on here? What's going on?"  
Attracted no doubt by Malfoy's shout, Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. Then he saw Mrs. Norris and fell back, clutching his face in horror.

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" he shrieked.  
And his popping eyes fell on Alexis.

"You!" he screeched. "You! You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll -"

"Argus!" Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of other teachers. In seconds, he had swept past Alexis and her friends and detached Mrs. Norris from the torch bracket.  
"Come with me Argus," he said to Filch. "You too, Miss Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, Mr. Carrow, Miss Kent, and Mr. Longbottom."

Lockhart stepped forward eagerly. "My office is nearest, Headmaster - just upstairs - please feel free -"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.

The silent crowd parted to let them pass. Lockhart, looking excited and important, hurried after Dumbledore; so did Professors McGonagall and Snape. As they entered Lockhart's darkened office there was a flurry of movement across the walls; Alexis saw several of the Lockhart's in the pictures dodging out of sight, their hair in rollers. The real Lockhart lit the candles on his desk and stood back.

Dumbledore laid Mrs. Norris on the polished surface and began to examine her. Alexis and her friends exchanged tense looks and sank into chairs outside the pool of candlelight, watching.

The tip of Dumbledore's long, crooked nose was barely an inch from Mrs. Norris's fur. He was looking at her closely through his half-moon spectacles, his long fingers gently prodding and poking. Professor McGonagall was bent almost as close, her eyes narrowed. Snape loomed behind them, half in shadow, wearing a most peculiar expression: it was as though he was trying hard not to smile.

And Lockhart was hovering around all of them, making suggestions. "It was definitely a curse that killed her - probably the Transmogrifian Torture. I've seen it used many times, so unlucky I wasn't there, I know the very counter-curse that would have saved her ..."

Lockhart's comments were punctuated by Filch's dry, raking sobs. He was slumped in a chair by the desk, unable to look at Mrs. Norris, his face in his hands.

Much as she detested Filch, Alexis couldn't help feeling a bit sorry for him, though not nearly as sorry as she felt for herself. If Dumbledore believed Filch, she would be expelled for sure.

Dumbledore was now muttering strange words under his breath and tapping Mrs. Norris with his wand, but nothing happened: she continued to look as though she had recently been stuffed.

"... I remember something very similar happening in Ouagadougou," said Lockhart, "a series of attacks, the full story's in my autobiography. I was able to provide the townsfolk with various amulets which cleared the matter up at once ..."

The photographs of Lockhart of the walls were all nodding in agreement as he talked. One of them had forgotten to remove his hairnet.  
At last Dumbledore straightened up. "She's not dead, Argus," he said softly.

Lockhart stopped abruptly in the middle of counting the number of murders he had prevented.

"No dead?" choked Filch, looking through his fingers at Mrs. Norris. "But why's she all - all stiff and frozen?"

"She had been Petrified," said Dumbledore ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart). "But how, I cannot say ..."

"Ask her!" shrieked Filch, turning his blotched and tear-stained face to Alexis.

"No second-year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly. "It would take Dark Magic of the most advanced -"  
"She did it, she did it!" Filch spat, his pouchy face purpling. "You saw what she wrote on the wall! She found - in my office - she knows I'm a - I'm a -" Filch's face worked horribly. "She knows I'm a squib!" he finished.

"I never touched Mrs. Norris!" Alexis said loudly, uncomfortably aware of everyone looking at her, including all the Lockharts on the walls. "And furthermore, I don't even know what a Squib is!"

"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "She saw my Kwikspell letter!"

"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows, and Alexis's sense of foreboding increased; she was sure nothing Snape had to say was going to do her any good. "Miss Potter and her friends may have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time," he said. A slight sneer curling his mouth as though he doubted it, "but we do have a set of suspicious circumstances here. Why were they in the upstairs corridor at all? Why weren't they at the Halloween feast?"

The six students all launched into an explanation about the Deathday Party, "... there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there -"

"But why not join the feast afterwards?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering in the candlelight. "Why go up to that corridor?"  
The others looked at Alexis.  
"Because - because -" Alexis said, her heart thumping very fast; something told her it would sound very far-fetched if she told them she had been led there by a bodiless voice no one but she could hear, "because we were tired and wanted to go to bed," she said.

"Without any supper?" said Snape, a triumphant smile flickering across his gaunt face. "I didn't think ghosts provided food fit for living people at their parties."

"We weren't hungry," said Ron loudly, as his stomach gave a huge rumble. Alexis gave him a Look.

Snape's nasty smile widened. "I suggest, Headmaster, that Miss Potter is not being entirely truthfully," he said. "It might be a good idea if she were deprived of certain privileges until she is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel she should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until she is ready to be honest."

"Really, Severus," said Professor McGonagall sharply, "I see no reason to stop the girl playing Quidditch. This cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Miss Potter has done anything wrong."

Dumbledore was giving Alexis a searching look. His twinkling light-blue gaze made Alexis feel as though she was being x-rayed.  
"Innocent until proven guilty, Severus," he said firmly.  
Snape looked furious. So did Filch.  
"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some punishment!"

"We'll be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore patiently. "Madam Sprout recently managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made which will revive Mrs. Norris."

"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I must have done it a hundred times, I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep -"

"Excuse me," said Snape icily, "but I believe I am the potions master at this school."

There was a very awkward pause. "You may go," Dumbledore said to the six second-years.

They went, as quickly as they could without actually running. When they were a floor up from Lockhart's office, they turned into an empty classroom and closed the door quietly behind them. Alexis squinted at her friends' darkened faces. "D'you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?"

"No," said Ron, without hesitation. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."

Something in Ron's voice made Alexis ask, "You do believe me, don't you?"

"Course I do," said Ron quickly. "But - you must admit it's weird ..."

"I know it's weird," said Alexis. "The whole thing's weird. What was that writing on the wall about? The Chamber has been opened ... what's that supposed to mean?"

"You know, it rings a sort of bell," said Ron slowly. "I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once ... might've been Bill ..."

"And what on earth's a Squib?" asked Alexis.

To her surprise, Ron stifled a snigger. "Well - it's not funny really - but as it's Filch ..." he said. "A squib is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn't got any magic powers. Kind of the opposite of Muggle-born wizards, but Squibs are quite unusual. If Filch's trying to learn magic from a Kwikspell course, I reckon he must be a Squib. It would explain a lot. Like why he hates students so much." Ron gave a satisfied smile. "He's bitter."

A clock chimed somewhere.  
"Midnight," said Alexis. "We'd better get to bed before Snape comes along and tried to frame us for something else."

For a few days, the school could talk of little but the attack on Mrs. Norris. Filch kept it fresh in everyone's minds by pacing the spot where she had been attacked, as though he thought the attacker might come back.

Alexis had seen him scrubbing the message on the wall with "Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover", but to no effect; the words still gleamed as brightly as ever on the stone.

When Filch wasn't guarding the scene of the crime, he was skulking red-eyed through the corridors, lunging at unsuspecting students and trying to put them in detention for things like "breathing loudly" and "looking happy".

Daphne seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris's fate and Sophie said it was because Daphne was a great cat-lover.  
"But you never liked Mrs. Norris much, either," pointed out Ron. "We're much better off without her."

Daphne actually lost her temper at someone who wasn't Malfoy. "How dare you! Just because I didn't like Mrs. Norris doesn't mean I wanted her to be Petrified! If you keep this up, I'll hex you! And maybe I'll stop being your friend. I've been wondering why I've been friends with blood traitors lately." They all stared at her in shock as she walked angrily away.

On Friday, Emma took Alexis aside. "There have been some very troubling rumours going around, Alexis. A number of the Hufflepuffs think that you might be the Heir of Slytherin, simply because you were found at the scene of Mrs. Norris's Petrification. Another number think that your friend Eric might be, because he was with you and his father is a Death Eater. Now, I know that neither rumour is true, and my friends Jade and Meg agree with me, because I know you very well. But not everyone is like that. So please be careful and try to not let any of this bother you. Okay, Alexis?"

"Okay, Emma," sighed Alexis. "Thanks for telling me."

The attack had also had an effect on Hermione. It was quite usual for Hermione to spend a lot of time reading, but she was now doing almost nothing else. Nor could her friends get much response from her when they asked what she was up to, and not until the following Wednesday did they find out.

Alexis and Eric had been held back in Potions, where Snape had made them stay behind to scrape tubeworms off the desks. After a hurried lunch, they went upstairs to meet their friends in the library, and saw Justin Finch-Fletchley, the Hufflepuff boy from Herbology, coming towards them. Alexis and Eric had just opened his mouth to say hello when Justin caught sight of them, turned abruptly and sped off in the opposite direction.

Alexis and Eric found Ron and Neville at the back of the library. Ron was measuring his History of Magic homework. Professor Binns had asked for a three-foot long composition on "The Medieval Assembly of European Wizards".

"I don't believe it, I'm still eight inches short ..." said Ron furiously, letting go of his parchment, which sprang back into a roll, "and Hermione's done four feet seven inches and her writing's tiny."

"Where is she?" asked Alexis, grabbing the tape measure and unrolling her own homework.

"Somewhere over there," said Ron, pointing along the shelves, "looking for another book. I think she's trying to read the whole library before Christmas."

Alexis told Ron about Justin Finch-Fletchley running away from her and Eric.  
"Dunno why you care, I thought he was a bit of an idiot," said Ron, scribbling away, making his writing as large as possible. "All that rubbish about Lockhart being so great -"

Hermione emerged from between the bookshelves. She looked irritable and at last seemed ready to talk to them.  
"All the copies of _Hogwarts: A History_ have been taken out," she said, sitting down next to Neville and Ron. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."

"Why do you want it?" said Alexis.

"The same reason everyone else wants it," said Hermione, "to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."

"What's that?" asked Alexis quickly.

"That's just it. I can't remember," said Hermione, biting her lip. "And I can't find the story anywhere else -"

"Hermione, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately, checking his watch.

"No, I won't," said Hermione, suddenly severe. "You've had ten days to finish it."

"I only need another two inches, go on ..."

The bell rang, keeping Alexis from offering to lend Hermione her copy of _Hogwarts, a History_. Ron and Hermione led the way to History of Magic, bickering. History of Magic was the dullest subject on their timetable. Professor Binns, who taught it, was their only ghost teacher, and the most exciting thing that ever happened in his classes was his entering the room through the blackboard.

Ancient and shriveled, many people said he hadn't noticed he was dead. He had simply got up to teach one day and left his body behind him in an armchair in front of the staff-room fire; his routine had not varied in the slightest since.

Today was as boring as ever. Professor Binns opened his notes and began to read in a flat drone like an old vacuum cleaner until nearly everyone in the class was in a deep stupor, occasionally coming round long enough to copy down a name or date, then falling asleep again.

He had been speaking for half an hour when something happened that had never happened before. Hermione put up her hand.

Professor Binns, glancing up in the middle of a deadly dull lecture on the International Warlock Convention of 1289, looked amazed. "Miss -er -?"

"Granger, professor. I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets," said Hermione in a clear voice.  
Dean Thomas, who had been sitting with his mouth hanging open, gazing out of the window, jerked out of his trance; Lavender Brown's head came up off her arms and Neville's elbow slipped off his desk.

Professor Binns Blinked.  
"My subject is History of Magic," he said in his dry, wheezy voice. "I deal with facts, Miss Granger, not myths and legends." He cleared his throat with a small noise like chalk snapping and continued, "In September of that year, a sub-committee of Sardinian sorcerers -" He stuttered to a halt. Hermione's hand was waving in the air again. "Miss Grant?"

"Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?"  
Professor Binns was looking at her in such amazement, Harry was sure no student had ever interrupted him before, alive or dead.

"Well," said Professor Binns slowly, "yes, one could argue that, I suppose." He peered at Hermione as though he had never seen a student properly before. "However, the legend of which you speak is such a very sensational, even ludicrous tale ..."  
But the whole class was now hanging on Professor Binns's every word. He looked dimly at them all, every face turned to his. Harry could tell he was completely thrown by such an unusual show of interest.  
"Oh, very well," he said slowly. "Let me see ... the Chamber of secrets ..."

"You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago - the precise date is uncertain - by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school houses are named after them: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Huffelpuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far from prying Muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people, and witches and wizards suffered much persecution."  
He paused, gazed blearily around the room, and continued, "For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and bringing them to the castle to be educated. But then disagreements sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. Slytherin wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of Muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Gryffindor, and Slytherin left the school.

Professor Binns paused again, pursing his lips, looking like a wrinkled old tortoise.  
"Reliable historical sources tell us this much," he said, "but these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber in the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. Slytherin, according to legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his own true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic."

There was a silence as he finished telling the story, but it wasn't the usual sleepy silence that filled Professor Binns's classes. There was unease in the air as everyone continued to watch him, hoping for more. Professor Binns looked faintly annoyed.  
"The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course," he said. "Naturally, the school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber, many times, by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible."

Hermione's hand was back in the air.  
"Sir - what exactly do you mean by the 'horror within' the Chamber?"  
"That is believed to be some sort of monster, which the heir of Slytherin alone can control," said Professor Binns in his dry, reedy voice.

The class exchanged nervous looks.  
"I tell you, the thing does not exist," said Professor Binns, shuffling his notes. "There is no Chamber and no monster."

"But, sir," said Seamus Finnegan, "if the Chamber can only be opened by Slytherin's true heir, no one else would be able to find it, would they?"

"Nonsense, O'Flaherty," said Professor Binns in an aggravated tone. "If a long succession of Hogwarts headmasters and headmistresses haven't found the thing -

"But, Professor," piped up Pavarti Patil, "you'd probably have to use Dark Magic to open it -"

"Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic, doesn't mean he can't, Miss Pennyfeather," snapped Professor Binns. "I repeat, if the likes of Dumbledore -"

"But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore couldn't -" began Dean Thomas, but Professor Binns had had enough.

"That will do," he said sharply. "It is a myth! It does not exist! There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built so much as a secret broom cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story! We will return, if you please, to solid, believable, verifiable fact!"

And within five minutes, the class had sunk back into its usual torpor.

"I always knew Salazar Slytherin was a twisted old loony," Ron told the others, as they fought their way through the teeming corridors at the end of the lesson to drop off their bags before dinner. "But I never knew he started all this pure-blood stuff. I wouldn't be in his house if you paid me. Honestly, if the Sorting Hat had tried to put me in Slytherin, I'd've got the train straight back home ..."

Hermione nodded fervently, but Alexis didn't say anything. Her stomach had just dropped unpleasantly. She had never told her friends that the Sorting Hat had seriously considered putting her in Slytherin.

She could remember it as though it was yesterday, the small voice that had spoken in her ear when he'd placed the Hat on his head a year before. "You could be great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin would help you on the way to greatness, no doubt about that ..."

But Alexis, who had already heard of Slytherin house's reputation for turning out dark wizards, had thought desperately, "Not Slytherin!" and the Hat had said, "Oh well, if you're sure ... better be Gryffindor ..."

As they were shunted along the throng, Colin Creevey went past. "Hiya, Alexis!"

"Hullo, Colin," said Alexis automatically.

"Alexis - Alexis - a boy in my class has been saying you're -" But Colin was so small he couldn't fight against the tide of people bearing him towards the Great Hall; they heard him squeak, "See you, Alexis!" and he was gone.

"What's a boy in his class saying about you?" Hermione wondered.

"That I'm Slytherin's heir, I expect," said Alexis, her stomach dropping another inch or so, as she suddenly remembered the way Justin Finch-Fletchley had run away from her at lunchtime. Also, there had also been Emma's warning.

"People here'll believe anything," said Ron in disgust.

The crowd thinned and they were able to climb the next staircase without difficulty. Ginny joined them, as she had a question about Transfiguration that she wanted to ask Hermione.

After Hermione was done answering Ginny's question, Ron asked, "D'you really think there's a Chamber of Secrets?"

"I don't know," Hermione said, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be - well - human."

As she spoke, they turned a corner and found themselves at the end of the very corridor where the attack had happened. They stopped and looked. The scene was just as it had been that night, except that there was no stiff cat hanging from the torch bracket, and an empty chair stood against the wall bearing the message "The Chamber has been opened."

"That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Ron muttered.

They looked at each other. The corridor was deserted.

"Can't hurt to have a poke around," said Alexis, dropping her bag and getting to her hands and knees so that she could crawl along, searching for clues.

"Scorch marks!" she said. "Here - and here -"

"Come and look at this!" said Sophie. "This is funny ..."

Alexis got up and crossed to the window next to the message on the wall. Hermione was pointing at the topmost pane, where around twenty spiders were scuttling, apparently fighting to get through a small crack in the glass.

A long, silvery thread was dangling like a rope, as though they had all climbed it in their hurry to get outside.

"Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" asked Sophie wonderingly.

"Not outside of the book _Charlotte's Web_," responded Alexis. "Have any of you?" Eric and Neville said no, but Ron didn't answer.

She looked over her shoulder. Ron was standing well back, and seemed to be fighting the impulse to run.

"What's up?" asked Hermione.

"I - don't - like - spiders," said Ron tensely.

"I never knew that," said Sophie, looking at Ron in surprise. "You've used spiders in potions loads of times ..."

"I don't mind them dead," said Ron, who was carefully looking anywhere but at the window. "I just don't like the way they move ..."

Hermione and Ginny giggled.

"It's not funny," said Ron fiercely. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my - my teddy bear into a dirty great spider because I broke his toy broomstick. You wouldn't like them either if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and ..." He broke off, shuddering.

Hermione was obviously still trying not to laugh, while Ginny cleared her throat and assumed a straight face. Alexis raised a brow. She had never been afraid of spiders. In fact, she had gotten used to them, for there had been several living in the cupboard under the stairs. In addition, the books _Charlotte's Web _and _James and the Gaint Peach_ had endeared spiders to her and she had spent some of the long hours in the cupboard pretending that the spiders there were her friends.

Out of consideration for Ron's feelings, Alexis quickly said, "Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it up."

"It was about here," said Ron, recovering himself to walk a few paces past Filch's chair and pointing. "Level with this door." He reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly withdrew his hand as though he'd been burned.

"What's the matter?" asked Neville.

"Can't go in there," said Ron gruffly, "that's a girls' toilet."

"Oh, Ron, there won't be anyone in there," said Hermione, standing up and coming over. "That's Moaning Myrtle's place. Come on, let's have a look."

And ignoring the large "Out of Order" sign, she opened the door.

Alexis made a face, for it was the gloomiest, most depressing bathroom she had ever set foot in. Under a large, cracked and spotted mirror were a row of chipped, stone sinks. The floor was damp and reflected the dull light given off by stubs of a few candles burning low in their holders; the wooden doors to the cubicles were flaking and scratched and one of them was dangling off its hinges.

Hermione put her fingers to her lips and set off towards the end cubicle. When she reached it she said, "Hello, Myrtle, how are you?"  
The others went to look. Moaning Myrtle was floating on the cistern of the toilet, picking a spot on her chin.

"This is a girls bathroom," she said, eyeing Eric, Neville, and Ron suspiciously. "They're not girls."

"No," Hermione agreed. "I just wanted to show them how - er - nice it is in here."

She waved vaguely at the dirty old mirror and the damp floor.

"Ask her if she saw anything," Eric mouthed at Hermione.

"What are you whispering?" said Myrtle, staring at him.

"Nothing," said Eric quickly. "We wanted to ask -"

"Myrtle, no one wants to upset you," said Hermione. "Eric only -"

"No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" howled Myrtle. "My life was nothing but misery at this place and now people come along ruining my death!"

"We wanted to ask you if you'd seen anything funny lately," said Hermione quickly, "because a cat was attacked right outside your front door on Halloween."

"Did you see anyone near here that night?" asked Alexis gently.

"I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much I came in here that night and tried to kill myself. Then, of course, I remembered that I'm - that I'm -"

"Already dead," said Ron helpfully.

Myrtle gave a tragic sob, rose up in the air, turned over and dived head first into the toilet, splashing water all over them and vanishing from sight; from the direction of her muffled sobs, she had come to rest somewhere in the U-bend.

The boys stood there with their mouths open, but Hermione shrugged wearily and said, "Honestly, that was almost cheerful for Myrtle ... come on, let's go."

Alexis barely closed the door on Myrtle's gurgling sobs when a loud voice made all seven of them jump.  
"RON!"

Percy Weasley had stopped dead at the head of the stairs, prefect badge agleam, an expression of complete shock on his face.

"That's a girls' bathroom!" he gasped. "What were you -?"

"Just having a look around," Ron shrugged. "Clues, you know ..."

Percy swelled in a manner that reminded Alexis forcefully of Mrs. Weasley. "Get - away - from - there -" he said, striding towards them and starting to chivvy them along, flapping his arms. "Don't you care what this looks like? Coming back here while everyone's at dinner ..."

"Why shouldn't we be here?" said Ron hotly, stopping short and glaring at Percy. "Listen, we never laid a finger on that cat!"

"Yes, but the first years are over-wrought by this!" exclaimed Percy. "Think about Ginny and her friends!"

"Ginny's friends are my friends too," snapped Ron, glaring up at him. "They're curious as to how Mrs. Norris got Petrified and want to find out. You really don't care about them.You're just worried I'm going to mess up your chances of being Head Boy!"

"Five points from Gryffindor!" Percy said tersely, fingering his prefect badge. "And I hope it teaches you a lesson! No more detective work or I'll write to Mum!"

Ginny opened her mouth to argue, but Sophie nudged her.

Alexis and her friends chose seats as far as possible from Percy in the common room that night. Ron was still in a very bad temper and kept blotting his Charms homework. When he reached absently for his wand to remove smudges, he accidentally removed half of what he wrote as well.

Fuming almost as much as his homework, Ron slammed _The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 2_ shut. To Alexis's surprise, Hermione followed suit.

"Who can it be, though?" she said in a quiet voice, as though continuing a conversation they had just been having. "Who'd want all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?"

"Let's think," said Ron in mock puzzlement. "Who do we know who thinks Muggle-borns are scum?" He looked at Hermione. Hermione looked back, unconvinced.

"If you're talking about Malfoy -"

"Of course I am!" said Ron.

"You heard him: 'You'll be next, Mudbloods!' Come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him -"

"Malfoy, the heir of Slytherin?" said Hermione skeptically.

"Look at his family," said Eric, closing his books, too. "The whole lot of them has been in Slytherin, he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's descendants. His father's definitely evil enough."

"They could've had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries!" said Ron. "Handing it down, father to son ..."

"Well," said Hermione cautiously, "I suppose it's possible ..."

"But how do we go about proving it?" asked Alexis.

"There might be a way," said Hermione slowly, dropping her voice still further with a quick glance across the room at Percy. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect."

"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" said Ron irritably.

"All right," said Hermione coldly. "What we'd need to do is to get inside the Slytherin common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realizing it's us."

"But that's impossible," Neville said, as Ron laughed.

"No, it's not," said Hermione. "All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion."

"What's that?" asked Ron and Eric at the same time.

"Snape mentioned it in class a few weeks ago -" began Alexis.

"D'you think we've got nothing better to do in Potions than listen to Snape?" muttered Ron.

"It transforms you into somebody else," answered Sophie. "Think about it! We could change into some of the Slytherins. No one would know it was us. Malfoy would probably tell us anything. He's probably boasting about it in the Slytherin common room right now, if only we could hear him."

"Why can't we just have Daphne ask Malfoy and have her tell us?" asked Neville. "She's in Slytherin."

"But with the way Daphne's been acting lately, I don't know how reliable she'll be," said Sophie. "Besides, after the way she slapped Malfoy, he's not likely to be telling her anything of importance."

"This Polyjuice Potion stuff sounds a bit dodgy to me," said Ron, frowning. "What if we were stuck looking like three of the Slytherins for ever?"

"It wears off after a while," said Hermione, waving her hand impatiently, "but getting hold of the recipe will be very difficult... Snape said it was in a book called _Moste Potente Potions_ and it's bound to be in the Restricted Section of the library."

There was only one way to get out a book from the Restricted Section: you needed a signed note of permission from a teacher.

"Hard to see why we'd want the book, really," said Ron, "if we weren't going to try and make one of the potions."

"I think," said Hermione, "that if we made it sound as though we were just interested in the theory, we might stand a chance ..."

"Oh, come on, no teacher's going to fall for that," said Ron. "They'd have to be really thick ..."


	10. The Rogue Bludger

This chapter is dedicated to reviewer Alysandra Martin.

The next day, Beth revealed that she had learned the Summoning Charm. The others turned to stare at her in surprise.

"But we don't learn that until fourth or fifth year!" exclaimed Sophie.

"Well, I learned it," responded Beth. "I did the charm this morning and got Luna's necklace, earrings, and two missing textbooks, and her robes back. They came flying out of the trunks of our dormmates. I told them off for taking Luna's things. I also figured out the spell that locks things and did it on Luna's trunk so nobody can open her trunk without a key. And I made several duplicates of the trunk key so it can still be opened even if Luna should somehow lose her key."

She reached into the collar of her robes and pulled out a gold chain hanging around her neck. Two keys dangled from it. "One is my trunk key, the other Luna's. Here." She took out four keys from her pocket and handed them to the other girls. "If Luna loses her key and I lose my copy, we'll ask one of you for your copy. Okay?"

Alexis carefully stowed her copy of Luna's trunk key in her pocket. "Why can't your dormmates see that Luna is a very nice girl under her, um, unique nature, and stop being so mean to her, Beth?"

Beth shrugged. "Everyone has their own idea of what's normal, and when someone doesn't fit that, they react to it differently. Some don't care, and others lash out and put it down. I don't like what my roommates are doing, but I can't exactly stop them. I've told them several times, but they just ignore it, and if I report it to a prefect, things will just get worse."

"It doesn't really matter," said Luna. "I have friends, so I can ignore the bad things that happen."

"Luna, if they were just making fun of you, ignoring them would be fine," said Beth patiently. "But taking your things is a different matter. When they took your robes last week, you would have had to wear the ones you had on for days if I hadn't lent you mine. And then when you put them on, you got teased for wearing such shabby robes. I accept the fact that Mum doesn't have much money and that I have to wear second-hand clothes, but you don't need to be made fun of because of that."

Luna stopped talking in her usual dreamy tone and now looked and sounded serious. "Beth, it was very kind of you to let me wear your robes. I focused on that, not on the teasing from those that are less open-minded than us. Besides, I didn't see you get mad when the other Ravenclaws teased you about having second-hand things, because they can't exactly accuse you of being loony."

"Luna, I usually don't get mad when teasing is directed to me, only when its directed to my friends. Besides, I've put with teasing about being poor for years. I've gotten used to it. And I really don't care that I don't get anything new except on Christmas and my birthday. I know Mum's doing the best she can to provide for us, and her love is more important than material belongings."

"Who's been teasing you, Beth?" demanded Gary, looking indignant. "I'll tell them off for you."

"Gareth Rupert Rawlins, you will do no such thing!" exclaimed Beth. "I don't need you getting involved and then have you end up detention. You already got into enough trouble in primary school when you fought all those kids that made fun of me."

"But I don't want you having to deal with all this!" protested Gary. "Bethany Julie Rawlins, as your brother, I have the right to -"

"I don't want you getting into fights," interrupted Beth firmly. "I can take care of myself. Furthermore, I'm older than you."

"Only by five minutes," retorted Gary. "It's not like you're a year or more older than me. But if you insist, I'll let you deal with things."

Hermione and Sophie exchanged looks. Being single children, they hadn't experienced any interaction with siblings. Eric then tried to change the subject to the Polyjuice Potion, but Alexis hushed him. Gary's friend David was there, and he wasn't to know about it. David was a very good and loyal friend, but when it came to secrets, he couldn't keep one to save his life, unless it was his own.

Since the disastrious class with the pixies, Professor Lockhart had not brought live creatures to class. Instead, he read passages from his books to them, and sometimes re-enacted some of the more dramatic bits. He usually picked Alexis to help him with these reconstructions; So far, Alexis had been forced to play a simple Transylvanian villager Lockhart had cured of a Babbling Curse, a yeti with a head-cold, and a vampire who had been unable to eat anything except lettuce since Lockhart had dealt with him.

Alexis was hauled to the front of the class during their very next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, this time acting a werewolf. If she hadn't had a very good reason for keeping Lockhart in a good mood, she would have refused to do it.

"Nice loud howl, Alexis - exactly - and then, if you'll believe it, I pounced - like this - slammed him to the floor - thus - with one hand, I managed to hold him down - with my other, I put my wand to his throat - I then screwed up my remaining strength and performed the immensely complex Homorphus Charm - he let out a piteous moan - go on, Alexis - higher than that - good - the fur vanished - the fangs shrank - and he turned back into a man. Simple, yet effective - and another village will remember me forever as the hero who delivered them from the monthly terror of werewolf attacks."

The bell rang and Lockhart got to his feet. "Homework: compose a poem about my defeat of the Wagga Wagga Werewolf! Signed copies of _Magical Me_ to the author of the best one!"

The class began to leave. Alexis returned to the back of the class, where her friends were waiting. "Ready?" she muttered.

"Wait till everyone's gone," said Hermione nervously. "All right ..."

She approached Lockhart's desk, a piece of paper clutched tightly in her hand, her friends right behind her.

"Er - Professor Lockhart?" Hermione stammered. "I wanted to - to get this book out from the library. Just for background reading." She held out the piece of paper, her hand shaking slightly. "But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a teacher to sign for it - I'm sure it would help me understand what you say in _Gadding with Ghouls_ about slow acting venoms ..."

"Ah, _Gadding with Ghouls_!" said Lockhart, taking the note from Hermione and smiling widely at her. "Possibly my very favorite book. You enjoyed it?"

"Oh, yes," said Hermione with contrived eagerness. "So clever, the way you trapped that last one with the tea-strainer ..."

"Well, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the best student in the year a little extra help," said Lockhart warmly, and he pulled out an enormous peacock quill. "Yes, nice, isn't it?" he said, mis-reading the revolted look on Ron's face. "I usually save it for book signings."  
He scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the note and handed it back to Hermione.

"So, Alexis," said Lockhart, while Hermione folded the note with fumbling fingers and slipped it into her bag, "tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season, I believe? Gryffindor against Slytherin, is it not? I hear you're a useful player. I was a Seeker, too. I was asked to try for the National Squad, but I preferred to dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark Forces. Still, if ever you feel the need for a little private training, don't hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass on my expertise to less able players ..."

Alexis was certain that he was lying, but didn't say anything. She hurried off after her friends.  
"I don't believe it," she said, as the aix of them examined the signature on the note, "He didn't even look at the book we wanted."

"That's because he's a brainless git," said Ron. "But who cares, we've got what we needed."

On the way to the library, they ran into Ginny, Luna, and Beth. "We got Lockhart's signature!" exclaimed Sophie.

Ginny grinned. "That's great. Now we can get that book. Did Lockhart even look at the title of the book we wanted?'

Eric shook his head and Beth said, "Well, he is an idiot. Our sessions practicing hexes and stuff in the private room are so much more useful."

The dropped their voices as they entered the muffled stillness of the library. Madam Pince, the librarian, was a thin, irritable woman who looked like an underfed vulture.

"_Moste Potente Potions_?" she repeated suspiciously, taking the note from Hermione.

Madam Pince held the note up to the light, as though determined to detect a forgery, but it passed the test. She stalked away between the lofty shelves and returned several minutes later carrying a large moldy-looking book. Hermione put it carefully into her bag and they left, trying not to walk too quickly or look too guilty.

Five minutes later, they were barricaded in Moaning Myrtle's out-of-order bathroom once again, Gary with them. Hermione had overridden Ron's objections by pointing out that it was the last place anyone in their right minds would go, so they were guaranteed some privacy. When Neville said they could have used the private room behind Lady Felicity's portrait, Alexis reminded him that Emma and her friends where there twice a week and Fred and George occasionally used it to hide from Filch.

Moaning Myrtle was crying noisily in her cubicle, but they were ignoring her, and she them.

Hermione opened _Moste Potente Potions_ carefully and the ten of them bent over the damp-spotted pages. It was clear from a glance why it belonged in the Restricted Section. Some of the potions had effects almost too gruesome to think about, and there were some very unpleasant illustrations, which included a man who seemed to have been turned inside out and a witch sprouting several extra pairs of arms out of her head.

"Here it is," said Hermione excitedly, as she found the page headed _The Polyjuice Potion_. It was decorated with drawings of people halfway through transforming into other people. Alexis sincerely hoped the artist had imagined the looks of intense pain on their faces.

"This is the most complicated potion I've ever seen," said Hermione, as they scanned the recipe. "Lacewing flies, leeches, flux weed and knotgrass," she murmured, running her finger down the list of ingredients. "Well. They're easy enough, they're in the student store-cupboard, we can help ourselves. Oooh, look, powdered horn of a Bicorn - don't know where we're going to get that ... Shredded skin of a Boomslang - that'll be tricky, too - and of course a bit of whoever we want to change into."

"Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What d'you mean, a bit of whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking nothing with Crabbe's toenails in it ..."

Hermione continued as though she hadn't heard him. "We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last ..."

Ron turned, speechless, to Alexis, who had another worry. "D'you realize how much we're going to have to steal, Hermione? Shredded skin of Boomslang, that's definitely not in the students' cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snape's private stores? I don't know if that's a good idea ..."

Hermione shut the book with a snap. "Well, if you are going to chicken out, fine," she said. There were bright pink patches on her cheeks and her eyes were brighter than usual. "I don't want to break rules, you know. I think threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in ..."

"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be persuading us to break rules," said Ron. "All right, we'll do it. But not toenails, OK?"

"How long will it take to make, anyway?" asked Ginny, as Hermione, looking happier, opened the book again.

"Well, as the fluxweed has got to be picked at the full moon and the lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty-one days ... I'd say it'd be ready in about a month, if we can get all the ingredients."

"A month?" exclaimed Eric. "Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!"

But Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously again, and he added swiftly, "But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead, I say."

However, while Hermione was checking the coast was clear for them to leave the bathroom, Ron muttered to Alexis, "It'll be a lot less hassle if you can just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow."

Alexis woke early on Saturday morning and lay for a while thinking about the coming Quidditch match. Both teams had the best brooms, but she was positive the Gryffindor team was better and intended to prove it. The Slytherins were going to regret letting Malfoy buy his way onto the team, though obviously he had to have some talent as a Seeker.

At breakfast, she was startled with the hats Luna and Beth were wearing. Beth's hat had the words "Go Gryffindor!" written in scarlet and underneath a picture of a roaring gold lion. Luna's hat had the words "Beat Slytherin! Lions for the Cup!" that flashed all the colors of the rainbow and underneath was a lion, also flashing different colors, chewing on a green snake. Everyone stared.

"Luna thought up of them," explained Beth. "She did some charms to make hers, and I decided to join her and made one for myself."

"They're very ... nice," said Alexis. The hats certainly showed Beth and Luna's support for Gryffindor, and made her feel slightly better.

As eleven o'clock approached, the whole school started to make its way down to the Quidditch stadium. It was a muggy sort of day with a hint of thunder in the air. The others came hurrying over to wish Alexis good luck as she entered the changing rooms. The team pulled on their scarlet Gryffindor robes, and then sat down to listen to Wood's usual pre-match pep talk.

Wood went on about how they trained harder and were much better players, so they were bound to win. He finished with telling Alexis to get the Snitch or die trying so that Slytherin would rue the day they let Malfoy buy his way onto the team.

As they walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greet them; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard too.

Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.

"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch, "three ... two ... one ..."

With a roar from the crowd to speed them upwards, the fourteen players rose towards the leaden sky. Alexis flew higher than any of them, squinting around for the Snitch.

"All right there, Scarhead?" yelled Malfoy, shooting underneath her as though to show off the speed of her broom.

Alexis had no time to reply. At that very moment, a heavy black Bludger came pelting towards her; she avoided it so narrowly that she felt it ruffle her hair as it passed.

"Close one, Harry!" said George, streaking past her with his club in his hand, ready to knock the Bludger back towards a Slytherin.

Alexis saw George give the Bludger a powerful whack in the direction of Adrian Pucey, but the Bludger changed direction in mid-air and shot straight for her again. Alexis dropped quickly to avoid it and George managed to hit it hard towards Malfoy.

Once again, the Bludger swerved like a boomerang and shot at her head. Alexis put on a burst on speed and zoomed towards the other end of the pitch. She could hear the bludger whistling along behind her. What was going on? Bludgers never concentrated on one player like this, it was their job to try and unseat as many as possible ...

Fred Weasley was waiting for the Bludger at the other end. Alexis ducked as Fred swung at the Bludger with all his might; the Bludger was knocked off course.

"That's done it!" Fred yelled happily, but he was wrong; as though it was magnetically attracted towards Alexis, the Bludger pelted after her once more and she was forced to fly off at full speed.

It had started to rain; Alexis felt heavy drops fall onto her face, splattering onto her glasses. She didn't have a clue what was going on in the rest of the game until she heard Lee Jordan, who was commentating, say, "Slytherin lead, sixty points to twenty."

The Slytherins were doing better than the Gryffindors, and meanwhile the mad Bludger was doing all it could to knock Alexis out of the air. Fred and George were now flying so close to her on either side that Alexis could see nothing at all except their flailing arms and had no chance to look for the Snitch, let alone catch it.

"Someone's - tampered - with - this - Bludger -" Fred grunted, swinging his bat with all his might at it as it launched a new attack on Alexis.

"We need time out," said George, trying to signal to Wood and stop the Bludger breaking Alexis's nose at the same time.

Wood had obviously got the message. Madam Hooch's whistle rang out and Alexis, Fred and George dived for the ground, still trying to avoid the mad Bludger.

"What's going on?" said Wood, as the Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered. "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when the Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"

"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger murdering Alexis, Oliver," said George angrily. "Someone's fixed it - it won't leave Alexis alone, it hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."

"But the bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then ..." said Wood anxiously.

Madam Hooch was walking towards them. Over her shoulder, Alexis could see the Slytherin team jeering and pointing in her direction. "Listen," said Alexis, as she came nearer and nearer, "with you two flying round me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the snitch is if it flies up my sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one."

"Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off."

Wood was looking from Alexis to the Weasleys

"Oliver, this is mad," said Alicia Spinnet angrily. "You can't let Alexis deal with that thing on her own."

"Let's ask for an inquiry -"

"If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" snapped Alexis. "And I'm not losing to Slytherin just because of a mad Bludger! Come on, Oliver; tell them to leave me alone!"

"This is all your fault," George said angrily to Wood. "'Get the Snitch or die trying' - what a stupid thing to tell her!"

Madam Hooch had joined them. "Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.

Wood looked at the determined look on Alexis's face. "All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard Alexis - leave her alone and let her deal with the Bludger on her own."

The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam Hooch's whistle, Alexis kicked hard into the air and heard the tell-tale whoosh of the Bludger behind him. Higher and higher she climbed. She looped and swooped, spiraled, zig-zagged and rolled.

Slightly dizzy, she nevertheless kept her eyes wide open. Rain was speckling her glasses and ran up her nostrils as she hung upside down, avoiding another fierce dive from the Bludger. She could hear laughter from the crowd; she knew she must look very stupid, but the rogue Bludger was heavy and couldn't change direction as quickly as she could.

She began a kind of roller-coaster ride around the edges of the stadium, squinting through the silver sheets of rain to the Gryffindor goalposts, where Adrian Pucey was trying to get past Wood ... A whistling in Alexis's ear told her the Bludger had just missed him again; she turned right over and sped in the opposite direction.

"Training for the ballet, Potter?" yelled Malfoy, as she was forced to do a stupid kind of twirl in mid-air to dodge the Bludger.  
Off Alexis fled, the Bludger trailing a few feet behind her: and then, glaring back at Malfoy in hatred, she saw it, the Golden Snitch. It was hovering inches above Malfoy's left ear - and Malfoy, busy laughing at Alexis, hadn't seen it.

For an agonizing moment, she hung in mid-air, not daring to speed towards Malfoy in case he looked up and saw the Snitch.

WHAM!  
She had stayed a second too long. The Bludger had hit her at last, smashed into her elbow, and Alexis felt her arm break. Dimly, dazed by the searing pain in her arm, she slid sideways on her rain-drenched broom, one knee still crooked over it, her right arm dangling useless at her side.

The Bludger came pelting back for a second attack, this time aiming at her face. Alexis swerved out of the way, one idea firmly lodged into her numb brain: get to Malfoy.  
Through a haze of rain and pain she dived for the shimmering, sneering face below her and saw its eyes widen with fear: Malfoy thought Alexis was attacking her.  
"What the -" he gasped, careering out of her way.

Alexis took her remaining hand off her broom and made a wild snatch; she felt her fingers close on the cold Snitch but was now only gripping the broom with her legs and there was a yell from the crowd below as she headed straight for the ground, trying hard not to pass out.

With a splattering thud she hit the mud and rolled off her broom. Her arm was hanging at a very strange angle. Riddled with pain, she heard, as though from a distance, a good deal of whistling and shouting. She focused on the Snitch clutched in her good hand.

"Aha," she said vaguely, "we've won." And then she fainted.

She came round, rain falling on her face, still lying on the pitch, with someone leaning over her. She saw a glitter of teeth. "Oh no, not you," she moaned.

"Doesn't know what she's saying," said Lockhart loudly, to the anxious crowd of Gryffindor pressing around them. "Not to worry, Alexis, I'm about to fix your arm."

"No!" exclaimed Alexis. "I'll keep it like this, thanks ..." She tried to sit up, but the pain was terrible. She heard a familiar clicking noise nearby. "I don't want a photo of this, Colin," she said loudly.

"Lie back, Alexis," said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times."

"Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Alexis through clenched teeth.

"She should really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. "Great capture, Alexis, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say."

Through the thicket of legs around him, Alexis spotted Fred and George Weasley, wrestling the rogue Bludger into a box. It was still putting up a terrific fight.

"Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.

"No - don't -" said Alexis weakly, but Lockhart was twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at her arm. A strange and unpleasant sensation started at Alexis's shoulder and spread all the way down to her fingertips. It felt as though her arm was being deflated.

She didn't dare look at what was happening. She had shut his eyes, her face turned away from her arm, but her worst fears were realized as the people above her gasped and Colin Creevey began clicking madly. Her arm didn't hurt anymore - but nor did it feel remotely like an arm.

"Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, Alexis, just toddle up to the Hospital Wing - ah, Mr. Longbottom, Miss Kent, would you escort her? - and Madam Pomfrey will be able to - er - tidy you up a bit."

As Alexis got to his feet, she felt strangely lopsided. Taking a deep breath she looked down at her right side. What she saw nearly made her pass out again. Poking out of the end of her robes was what looked like thick, flesh-colored rubber glove. She tried to move her fingers. Nothing happened. Lockhart hadn't mended Harry's bones. She had removed them.

Madam Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased.

"You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second - but growing them back -"

"You will be able to, won't you?" said Alexis desperately.

"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Alexis a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night ..."

The boys waited outside the curtain drawn around Alexis's bed while Sophie and Hermione helped her into her pajamas. It took a while to stuff the rubbery, boneless arm into a sleeve.

As she swung herself onto the bed, her arm flapped pointlessly.

The boys and Madam Pomfrey came around the curtain. Madam Pomfrey was holding a large bottle of something labeled 'Skele-Gro'.  
"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beaker full and handing it to her. "Re-growing bones is a nasty business."

So was taking the Skele-Gro. It burned Alexis's mouth and throat as it went down, making her cough and splutter. Still tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving the others to help Alexis gulp down some water.

"We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face ... he looked ready to kill!"

"I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," said Hermione darkly.

"We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said Alexis, sinking back onto his pillows. "I hope it tastes better than this stuff ..."

"If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron.

The door of the hospital wing burst open at that moment. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team had arrived to see Alexis. "Unbelievable flying, Alexis," said George. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy."

They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Alexis's bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, shouting, "This girl needs rest, she's got thirty-three bones to re-grow! Out! OUT!" And Alexis was left alone, with nothing to distract her from the stabbing pains in her limp arm.

Hours and hours later, she woke quite suddenly in the pitch blackness and gave a small yelp of pain; hrt arm now felt full of large splinters. For a second, she thought it was that which had woken her. Then, with a thrill of horror, she realized that someone was sponging her forehead in the dark. "Get off!" she said loudly, and then, "Dobby!"

The house-elf's goggling tennis-ball eyes were peering at Alexis through the darkness. A single tear was running down his long, pointed nose. "Alexis Potter came back to school," he whispered miserably. "Dobby warned and warned Alexis Potter. Ah miss, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Alexis Potter go back home when the gateway was sealed?"

Alexis heaved herself up on her pillows and pushed Dobby's sponge away.

"What're you doing here?" she asked. "And how did you know the barrier was sealed?" Dobby's lip trembled and Alexis was seized by a sudden suspicion. "It was you!" she said slowly. "You stopped the barrier letting us through!"

"Indeed yes, miss," said Dobby, nodding his head vigorously, ears flapping. "Dobby hid and watched for Alexis Potter and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterwards -" he showed her ten, long, bandaged fingers, "- but Dobby didn't care, miss, for he thought Alexis Potter was safe, and never did Dobby dream that Alexis Potter would get to school another way!" He was rocking backwards and forwards, shaking his ugly head. "Dobby was so shocked when he heard Alexis Potter was back at Hogwarts, he let his master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, miss ..."

Alexis slumped back onto her pillows. "You were beaten?" she exclaimed angrily. "That's terrible!" Then she focused on something else. "Ron and I almost missed the train! If Mrs. Kent hadn't Apparated us onto the Platform, we would have missed it! You'd better clear off before my bones come back, Dobby, or I might strangle you."

Dobby smiled weakly. "Dobby is used to death threats, sir. Dobby gets them five times a day at home."

He blew his nose on a corner of the filthy pillowcase he wore, looking so pathetic that Alexis felt her anger ebb away in spite of herself. She felt bad for threatening him, and knew that if Mrs. Kent were here, she'd be very disappointed in her treatment of Dobby.

Dobby mopped his bulging eyes and said suddenly, "Alexis Potter must go home! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make -"

"Your Bludger?" demanded Alexis, anger rising once more. "What d'you mean, your Bludger? You made that Bludger try and kill me?"

"Not kill you, miss, never kill you!" said Dobby, shocked. "Dobby wants to save Alexis Potter's life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here, sir! Dobby only wanted Alexis Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"

"Oh, is that all?" snapped Alexis angrily. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you wanted me sent home in pieces?"

"Ah, if Alexis Potter only knew!" Dobby groaned, more tears dripping onto his ragged pillowcase. "If she knew what she means to us, to the lowly, the enslaved, us dregs of the magical world! Dobby remembers how it was when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was at the height of his powers, miss! We house-elves were treated like vermin, sir! Of course, Dobby is still treated like that, miss," he admitted, drying his face on the pillowcase.

"But mostly, sir, life has improved for my kind since you triumphed over He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Alexis Potter survived, and the Dark Lord's power was broken, and it was a new dawn, miss, and Alexis Potter shone like a beacon of hope for those of us who thought the dark days would never end, miss ... And now, at Hogwarts, terrible things are to happen, are perhaps happening already, and Dobby cannot let Alexis Potter stay here now that history is to repeat itself, now that the Chamber of Secrets is open once more -"

Dobby froze, horror-struck, then grabbed Alexis's water jug from her bedside table and cracked it over his own head, toppling out of sight, muttering, "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby ..."

"So there is a Chamber of secrets?" Alexis whispered. "And - did you say it's been opened before? Tell me, Dobby!" She seized the elf's bony wrist as Dobby's hand inched towards the water jug. "But I'm not Muggle-born - how can I be in danger from the Chamber?"

"Ah, miss, ask no more, ask no more of poor Dobby," stammered the elf, his eyes huge in the dark. "Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Alexis Potter must not be here when they happen. Go home, Alexis Potter. Go home. Alexis Potter must not meddle in this, miss, 'tis too dangerous -"

"Who is it, Dobby?" Alexis said, keeping a firm hold on Dobby's wrist to stop him hitting himself with the water jug again. "Who's opened it? Who opened it last time?"

"Dobby can't, miss, Dobby can't, Dobby mustn't tell!" squealed the elf. "Go home, Alexis Potter, go home!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" she exclaimed fiercely. "Three of my friends are Muggle-born, they'll be first in line if the Chamber really has been opened -"

"Alexis Potter risks her own life for her friends!" moaned Dobby, in a kind of miserable ecstasy. "So noble! So valiant! But she must save herself, she must, Alexis Potter must not -"

Dobby suddenly froze, his bat ears quivering. Alexis heard it, too. There were footsteps coming down the passageway outside.

"Dobby must go!" breathed the elf, terrified; there was a loud crack, and Alexis's fist was suddenly clenched on thin air. She slipped back into bed, her eyes on the dark doorway to the hospital wing as the footsteps drew nearer.  
Next moment, Dumbledore was backing into the dormitory, wearing a long wooly dressing gown and a nightcap. He was carrying one end of what looked like a statue. Professor McGonagall appeared a second later, carrying its feet. Together, they heaved it onto a bed.

"Get Madam Pomfrey," whispered Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall hurried past the end of Harry's bed out of sight.

Alexis lay quite still, pretending to be asleep. She heard urgent voices, and then Professor McGonagall swept back into view, closely followed by Madam Pomfrey, who was pulling a cardigan on over her nightdress. She heard a sharp intake of breath.

"What happened?" Madam Pomfrey whispered to Dumbledore, bending over the statue on the bed.

"Another attack," said Dumbledore. "Minerva found him on the stairs."

"There was a bunch of grapes next to him," said Professor McGonagall. "We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit Miss Potter."

Alexis's stomach gave a horrible lurch. Slowly and carefully, she raised himself a few inches so she could look at the statue on the bed. A ray of moonlight lay across its staring face. It was Colin Creevey.

His eyes were wide and his hands were stuck up in front of him, holding his camera.

"Petrified?" whispered Madam Pomfrey.

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "But I shudder to think ... If Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate, who knows what might have ..."

The three of them stared down at Colin. Then Dumbledore leaned forward and pried the camera out of Colin's rigid grip.  
"You don't think he managed to get a picture of his attacker?" said Professor McGonagall eagerly.

Dumbledore didn't answer. He pried open the back of the camera.  
"Good gracious!" said Madam Pomfrey.

A jet of steam had hissed out of the camera. Alexis, three beds away, caught the acrid smell of burnt plastic.

"Melted," said Madam Pomfrey wonderingly, "all melted ..."

"What does this mean, Albus?" Professor McGonagall asked urgently.

"It means," said Dumbledore, "that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."

Madam Pomfrey clapped a hand to her mouth. Professor McGonagall stared at Dumbledore. "But Albus ... surely ... who?"

"The question is not who," said Dumbledore, his eyes on Colin. "The question is, how ..."

And from what Alexis could see of Professor McGonagall's shadowy face, she didn't understand this any better than Alexis did.


	11. The Dueling Club

This chapter is dedicated to RileyGurl.

Alexis left the Hospital Wing the next day, still thinking over what Dobby had said and wondering over Colin's petrifaction. Was the Chamber of Secrets truly open? She decided to go looking for her friends to talk to them and bumped into Daphne. Alexis apologized for bumping into her, then stopped and stared. Daphne looked very pale. In fact, she didn't look like herself, and Alexis realized that she hadn't since the detention.

"Are you all right, Daphne?" asked Alexis in concern.

"I'm fine!" answered Daphne in a shrill, high voice that didn't sound like her usual tone.

"I don't think you are fine," said Alexis. "I think you should see Madam Pomfrey."

"I'm fine!" insisted Daphne in the same high voice. "Now please leave me alone!"

"Okay then," said Alexis. "But please see Madam Pomfrey if you're feeling peaky." She went on her way, now wondering about Daphne's unusual behavior.

Alexis checked Gryffindor tower, the library and the room behind Lady Felicity, but her friends weren't there. She only saw Percy, who told her that her flying was excellent and that Gryffindor had taken the lead for the house cup. She then headed for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. There she found her friends. Hermione and Sophie were adding a couple of ingredients to the potion and Ron and Eric were stirring it. Beth was immersed in a thick tome and Neville was helping Ginny and Gary with their Herbology homework. Luna, her wand stuck behind her ear, was reading the November issue of _The Quibbler_.

"Is your arm healed now, Alexis?" asked Beth, looking up from her book. Alexis nodded and noticed that Beth was not wearing her shabby robes, but instead had on a red sweater and a pair of jeans. They weren't shabby, but Alexis doubted that they were new. Muggle second-hand clothing tended to be gently used or they wouldn't be sold or donated.

"We heard about Colin," said Ginny, looking solemn. "Dumbledore announced it during breakfast. Oh, and Gary and Beth have something they want to tell us."

Gary took out a letter. "Our Mum wrote to us, saying that she felt it was time we learned the truth. She told us about our father and everything. Our father was a Muggleborn wizard named Joseph Gareth Rawlins. Actually, it should be Rabinsky, but the family decided to change it to Rawlins when they moved to England after World War Two. Apparently our father's parents survived the Holocaust."

"Mum met Dad when they bumped into each other on a London street," continued Beth. "It was love at first sight. After a year of dating, they decided to move in together. A few months later, Dad asked Mum to marry him. After she said yes, he told her about the wizarding world. Then a few days later, Dad got killed by Death Eaters. He was an Auror, you see. A fellow Auror told Mum what had happened. Mum was devastated, but pulled herself together when she realized she was pregnant. Her parents disowned her for insisting on having us out of wedlock and not putting us up for adoption."

"Anyway, Mum hasn't had anything to do with the wizarding world until we got our letters," finished Gary. "She knew we would likely turn out to be magic because of our father, but she hadn't said anything earlier because it brought up painful memories of Dad. She finally put her pain aside and decided that we needed to know everything."

Beth and Gary exchanged looks and said something in a different language. Then Beth turned to the others and said, "I think that's everything. Oh, and Gary and I were just talking in Yiddish. Mum converted to Judaism for Dad and she's brought us up in the Jewish faith. She learned Yiddish from Dad and taught it to us."

Ron, Eric, Ginny, and Neville looked confused, so Beth and Gary gave them a brief explanation about Judaism. Alexis wasn't surprised to discover that the twins were Jewish, for she'd suspected they were when she saw Beth turning down bacon and Gary mentioning that Saturday was the Sabbath.

"Do you not celebrate Christmas then, Beth and Gary?" asked Hermione.

"Actually, we do celebrate Christmas," responded Gary. "We're part of a group of Jewish people that believes Jesus is the Messiah. So while we celebrate Passover and Hanukkah and the other Jewish holidays, we also celebrate Christmas and Easter."

"What are all the Jewish holidays?" asked Ron curiously.

Gary listed them and Beth gave a brief explanation of each holiday. Ron looked surprised when he discovered that a couple of them, like Yom Kippur, involved fasting for the day.

Finally Beth changed the subject. "Are you completely sure that Draco Malfoy is responsible for the attack on Colin and Mrs. Norris?"

"Well, I can't think of anyone else," said Eric. "He's the only that makes sense. Crabbe and Goyle are idiots, Theodore Nott keeps to himself, and Blaise Zabini isn't the type."

"D'you know what I think?" demanded Ron. "Malfoy was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."

Alexis began tearing up bundles of knotgrass and throwing them in the potion. As she did so, she told her friends about Dobby's visit.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been open _before_?" demanded Ginny.

"That settles it," said Ron in a triumphant voice. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."

"Maybe it can make itself invisible," said Hermione, prodding leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguise itself – pretend to be a suit of armor or something. I've read about Chameleon Ghouls."

Sophie sighed impatiently. "Actually, it would have to be Draco's grandfather that opened the Chamber of Secrets. Lucius Malfoy was only a year or two above my parents and godparents. If the Chamber of Secrets had been opened then, my godparents would have told me. My old tutor would have told me as well. Which reminds me, I need to write to him and arrange for you to meet him, Alexis."

"Why?" asked Alexis, as she poured dead lacewings on top of the leeches.

"Because he was a friend of your parents, that's why," replied Sophie. "His name is Remus Lupin and he was one of your father's best friends. I forgot to tell you about him last year. I would have introduced you to him at the Boxing Day Party, but he was feeling ill then and couldn't make it. I'll introduce, or rather, re-introduce him, to you at this year's party. You've already been introduced to him before, when you were just a baby."

Neville changed the subject. "How are we going to get the bicorn horn and Boomslang skin?" he asked. "Break into Snape's private stores and steal them?"

"Of course," said Sophie briskly. "I'll cause a diversion next Potions class."

"And then I'll go into Snape's office and take the things," said Hermione in a matter-of-fact tone. "I've got a clean record, and I'm not the target for Snape's dislike."

The next Potions class, on Hermione's signal, Sophie ducked behind her cauldron, took out a Filibuster firework out of her pocket, and gave it a quick prod with her wand. The firework began to fizz and sputter and Sophie quickly threw it right into Goyle's cauldron.

Goyle's potion exploded, showering the entire class. People shrieked as splashes of Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a faceful and his nose began to swell like a balloon; Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of dinner plates, while Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened. Through the confusion, Alexis saw Hermione slip quietly out the door.

"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who had been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft. When I find out who did this …"

As half the class went up to Snape's desk, Alexis saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging.

When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.

"If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall _make sure_ that person is expelled." His gaze lingered on Alexis, then on Sophie.

When they were hurrying back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Sophie said, "I think Snape suspects that either me or Alexis had something to do with it."

"Well, Snape can't prove it was either one of you," said Eric. "What can he do?"

"Knowing Snape, something foul," said Alexis darkly, as the potion frothed and bubbled.

A couple of days later, Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Beth, Gary, and Luna were going home, as well as Gary's friend David. Neville was going home also, because his grandmother wanted him home for Christmas. The rest signed up to stay at Hogwarts; they had heard that Malfoy was staying, which struck them as very suspicious. The holidays would be the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to worm a confession out of him.

Mrs. Kent sent a batch of invitations for her annual party again, this time including Beth, Gary, and David on her guest list. As Beth and Gary didn't have access to the Floo, Mrs. Kent would arrange for a Portkey to take them to and from the party. Alexis decided not to wear her amethyst dress robes to the party, especially as they were now a little short at the wrists since she'd grown an inch. She wrote to Mrs. Channing, asking her to buy a new set of dress robes, charging the money to Alexis's vault.

The robes arrived at breakfast a week later. Alexis unwrapped the package to find a set of sapphire blue robes with frilled sleeves and silver embroidery at neck and hem. To her surprise, a silver locket with a (fake) sapphire on the lid was also included.

The next day, Alexis and her friends noticed a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan, looking excited, informed them that a Dueling Club was being started.

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" asked Ron, but too read the sign with interest. He then turned to the others, who agreed to attend.

So at eight o'clock that evening they hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables and had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" wondered Hermione. "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young, maybe it'll be him."

"As long as it's not –" Alexis began, but she ended on a groan; Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.

Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all here me? Excellent!

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions – for full details, see my published works.

"Let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. He tells me knows a tiny bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry – you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered in Alexis's ear.

Snape's upper lip was curling. Alexis wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at _her_ like that she'd have been running as fast as she could in the opposite direction.

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hand, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them. "As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course,"

After the count of three, both swung their wands up and over their shoulders. Snape disarmed Lockhart, blasting him off his feet and flying backwards off the stage and smashing into a wall. Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered.

Lockhart got unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end. "Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. He claimed that he knew that Professor Snape was going to perform the Disarming Charm, saying that he could have stopped it, but felt that it was instructive to let the students see.

Lockhart and Snape then went through the crowd, putting everyone into pairs. Lockhart paired Neville with Eric and Ron with Justin Finch-Fletchley. However, Snape reached Alexis, Sophie, and Hermione first. With a sneer, he paired Alexis with Malfoy, Sophie with Millicent Bulstrode, and Hermione with Pansy Parkinson.

Lockhart told everyone to disarm only on the count of three, but hardly anyone listened to him. In fact, Malfoy started on 'two'; his spell hit Alexis so hard she felt as though she'd been hit over the head with a saucepan. She stumbles, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Alexis pointed her wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, "_Rictusempra_!" A jet of silver light hit Malfoy and he doubled up, wheezing.

"_I said disarm only_!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd. Malfoy sank to his news and he could barely move for laughing.

After a minute, Malfoy retaliated with "_Tarantallegra_!" Alexis's tried to yell "_Protego_!" and put up a shield to block the spell, but she wasn't fast enough. The next second, her legs had begun to jerk around out of her control in a kind of quickstep.

"Stop! Stop!" scrammed Lockhart, but Snape took charge.

"_Finite Incantatem_!" he shouted; Alexis's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.

A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Neville and Eric were lying on the floor, panting; Ron had somehow broken the tip of his wand when dueling with Justin; Hermione had put Pansy in a Full Body-Bind, and Millicent had Sophie in a headlock. Alexis, Hermione, and Gary went over and pulled Millicent off.

"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you get, Macmillan … careful there, Miss Fawcett … pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot …

"I think I'd better teach you how to _block_ unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair – Longbottom and Carrow, how about you?"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Carrow up to the hospital wing in a match." Alexis hissed angrily, for while Neville didn't master spells as quickly as she did, when he did master them, he did admirably. And in all the Defensive spells they were secretly practicing, Neville learned them quickly and was only surpassed by Alexis and Eric.

Snape continued, with a twisted smile, "How about Mr. Malfoy and Miss Potter?"

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Alexis and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room. Lockhart tried to give Alexis advice, but only succeeded in dropping his wand when he attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action. Snape smirked, then bent down and whispered something in Malfoy's ear.

Alexis swallowed and decided to do the Shield Charm to block whatever Malfoy did. Then she'd Disarm him or something. Lockhart patted her arm and counted to three.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "_Serpensortia_!"

"_Pro_ –!" The spell died on her lips as Alexis realized that Malfoy's spell was one that conjured a snake and a Shield would not help against it. She watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of the end of Malfoy's wand, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.

"Don't move, Miss Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Alexis standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it …"

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. However, instead of vanishing the snake, it flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered towards the direction of Ron and Justin and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike. Ron let out a yell and backed away, but Justin stood, frozen.

Alexis wasn't sure what made her do it. She wasn't even aware of deciding to do it. She just dashed over to the snake and shouted stupidly at it, "Leave him alone!" And miraculously – inexplicably, the snake turned around and slumped to the floor, docile as a thick black garden hose, its eyes now on Alexis. She knew the snake wouldn't attack anyone now, though how she knew it, she couldn't have explained.

She looked up at Justin, expecting to see him looking relieved, puzzled, or perhaps even grateful, but instead he looked angry and scared. "What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted, and before she could say anything, he had turned and stormed out the hall.

Snape stepped forward and vanished the snake. He, too, was looking at Alexis in an unexpected away: it was a shrewd and calculating look and Alexis didn't like it. She was also dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls.

Sophie came forward and gently steered her out of the hall. As they went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something. Once out in the hall, Emma and Kyra appeared. "We need a word, Alexis."

They went to the secret room, followed by Alexis's friends. Once inside, Kyra pushed Alexis into a chair and said sternly, "Please explain what that was all about."

"I just told the snake to back off," said Alexis, confused. "What's the big deal?"

"What's the big deal?" repeated Emma. "You were talking to it! And in snake language! You're a Parselmouth, Alexis! Who could you not know that?"

"I'm a _what_?" demanded Alexis. "That's impossible! Only Dark wizards like Slytherin and Voldemort can talk to snakes, Emma."

"You're not a Dark wizard, Alexis, but you can still speak Parseltongue," said Eric.

Alexis groaned. "But why didn't I realize that I had this ability earlier? No wonder everyone freaked out. If they couldn't understand what I was saying, they probably thought it sounded like I was egging the snake on. What now? Is everyone going to think that I'm a descendant of Salazar Slytherin, even though I'm not?"

"Stop exaggerating, Alexis," said Kyra. "Not everyone is going to think so. For example, the, um, twelve of us here don't think so. Though now that I think about it, it would be hard to prove. Slytherin lived about a thousand years ago, so for all we know, you could be. But even if you are, we know perfectly well that you're not opening the Chamber of Secrets and setting lose a monster that's petrifying people."

This wasn't much comfort for Alexis. "But I was only stopping the snake from biting Justin's head off! Why should it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt? This is too much, guys. I'm going to bed."

She left, but she had only rounded the corner when Beth and Gary caught up with her. "I think we can relate," said Beth. "All the accidental magic we did school caused many students to think we were freaks and stuff. Many of the students here will think the same of you. If you need someone to talk to, Gary and I will be here for you."

"Thanks," said Alexis dully. "I would like some alone time now, though."

"All right," said Gary. "Good night, Alexis." He headed for the Hufflepuff common room and Beth to the Ravenclaw one. Alexis continued on her way to the Gryffindor room.

In the dorm room, Parvati and Lavender gave her looks, but didn't say anything. Alexis changed into her nightgown and went to bed, but she didn't sleep. She pretended to be when Sophie and Hermione came in, but instead she lay awake for several hours, thinking. She knew nothing about the Potter family, other than that they were purebloods, so it was possible that she was related to Slytherin, if not his descendant.

Furthermore, the Sorting Hat had considered putting her in Slytherin, though it had also said she had the qualities of all the houses and was difficult to sort. Finally Alexis decided that she'd explain the Justin that she was calling off the snake in Herbology the next day and fell into a fitful sleep.

The next morning, however, the snow that had begun in the night turned into a blizzard, As a result, Herbology class was cancelled. Alexis fretted about this until finally Sophie lost patience and told her to just go and find Justin if it was so important.

So Alexis got up and left through the Portrait hole, wondering where Justin might be. Finally she decided that Justin might be in the library and went to check there first.

A group of the Hufflepuffs who should have been in Herbology was indeed sitting at the back of the library, but she didn't seem to be working. Between the long lines of high bookshelves, Alexis could see that their heads were close together and they were having what looked like an absorbing conversation. However, she couldn't tell whether Justin was among them. She was walking towards them when something of what they were saying met her ears, and she paused to listen, hidden in the Invisibility section.

Ernie Macmillan was saying that he had told Justin to hide up in the dormitory. Apparently Ernie and Justin both believed that Alexis was Slytherin's heir. Hannah Abbott had some doubts about it, but Ernie pointed out some things that he believed proved that Alexis was dangerous. His opinion was that You-Know-Who had wanted to kill Alexis because didn't want another Dark Lord, or rather Lady, competing with him,

Emma and her two friends appeared at this juncture, frowns on their faces. Emma began telling Ernie off. "How dare you accuse Alexis of being Slytherin's heir!?!" she hissed angrily. "I'll have you know that I've known Alexis for years! We were in the same primary school, though I was in the year above her. My mother functions as a mother figure for Alexis, because Alexis doesn't have one, and she loves my family! She's said that Kyra and I were like sisters to her! I think I would know if Alexis had problems with Muggleborns. So shut up about stuff you know nothing about, Ernie Macmillan!"

"But – but – " stammered Ernie. "You saw what happened at the Dueling Club!"

"Alexis was stopping the snake from attacking Justin!" snapped Emma. "Anyone with half a brain would've figured that out since it backed off right after Alexis spoke to it."

Alexis stepped out from behind the bookshelves then, clearing her throat loudly. Every one of the Hufflepuffs, except Emma and her friends, looked as though they had been Petrified by the sight of her, and the color was draining out of Ernie's face.

"Thank you for standing up for me, Emma," said Alexis calmly. "Though I could have done so myself. What Emma said was true, I was telling the snake to back off."

"All I saw, " said Ernie stubbornly, though he was trembling as he spoke, "was you speaking Parseltongue and the chasing the snake towards Justin."

"That is enough!" snapped Jade, one of Emma's friends. "First of all, Alexis was at Nearly Headless Nick's Deathday party when Mrs. Norris was attacked. She just happened to come across her when they were leaving the party. As for Colin Creevy, Alexis was in the hospital wing when he was attacked. Madam Pomfrey would know if Alexis snuck out the room to attack someone. She is not Slytherin's heir!"

"How do you know?" demanded Ernie. "Alexis Potter could have tricked you."

Emma looked furious. "Alexis Potter is best friends with a Muggleborn, second-best friends with another two, and has a sisterly relationship with two more. Do you honestly think she would have those relationships if she were Slytherin's heir?"

"Well, she's friends with a Carrow," pointed out Hannah.

"But Eric Carrow doesn't think like the rest of his family!" retorted Emma. "He doesn't care about blood purity at all. And I believe Alexis is also friends with Ginny and Ron Weasley, and they're considered blood traitors by families like the Malfoys. And she's friends with Neville Longbottom and Sophie Kent, and the Longbottom and Kent families have never been into the Dark Arts."

"Enough," said Alexis. "I was only here to look for Justin Finch-Fletchley and explain that I was calling the snake off, not egging it on. If he's not here, then I'm leaving, but Emma, could you please tell Justin for me? Thank you."

She turned on her heel and stormed out the library. She blundered up the corridor, barely noticing where she was going. She appreciated Emma and her friends standing up for her, but was furious with the way Ernie insisted on believing that she was Slytherin's heir. As a result, she walked into something very large and solid, which knocked her backwards onto the floor. "Oh, hello, Hagrid," Alexis said, looking up.

Hagrid's face was entirely hidden by a woolly, snow-covered balaclava, but it couldn't possibly be anyone else, as he filled most of the corridor in his moleskin overcoat. A dead rooster was hanging from one of his massive, gloved hands.

"All righ', Alexis?" he asked, pulling up the balaclava so he could speak. "Why aren't yeh in class?"

"Cancelled," responded Alexis, getting up. "What are you going in here, Hagrid?"

Hagrid held up the limp rooster. "Second one killed this term," he explained. "It's either foxes or a Blood-Suckin' Bugbear, an' I need the headmaster's permission ter put a charm round the hen-coop." He then took a close at her and asked if something was bothering her. Alexis, not wanting to talk about what had just happened in the library, brushed it off as nothing and said she had to pick up her books for her next class.

Alexis walked off, her mind still full about what Ernie had said about her. She stamped up the stairs and turned along another corridor, which was particularly dark; the torches had been extinguished by a strong, icy draught, which was blowing through a loose windowpane. She was halfway down the passage when she tripped headlong over something lying on the floor.

She turned to squint at what she'd fallen over, and felt as if her stomach had dissolved.

Justin Finch-Fletchley was lying on the floor, rigid and cold, a look of shock frozen on his face, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. And that wasn't all. Next to him was another figure, the strangest sight Alexis had ever seen.

It was Nearly Headless Nick, no longer pearly-white and transparent, but black and smoky, floating immobile and horizontal, six inches off the floor. His head was half off and his face whose an expression of shock identical to Justin's.

Alexis got to her feet, wondering what to do. She ought to run, and no one would ever know she was there. But she couldn't just leave them here ... she had to get help. But would anyone believe she hadn't had anything to do with this?

As she stood there, panicking, a door right next to her opened with a bang. Peeves the Poltergeist came shooting out. He started to tease her, but then stopped when he spotted Justin and Nearly Headless Nick. Before Alexis could stop him, he screamed, "ATTACK! ATTACK! ANOTHER ATTACK! NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES! ATTAAAACK!"

Door after door flew open along the corridor and people flooded out. For several long minutes, there was a scene of such confusion that Justin was in danger of being squashed and people kept standing in Nearly Headless Nick. Alexis found herself pinned against the wall as the teachers shouted for quiet. Professor McGonagall came and restored order. Justin was carried up to the hospital wing by Professors Flitwick and Sinistra. As for Sir Nicolas, McGonagall conjured a large fan and told Ernie to waft Nick up the stairs.

She then led Alexis around a corridor and stopped before a large and extremely ugly stone gargoyle. "Sherbet lemon!' she said. This was evidently a password, because the gargoyle sprang suddenly to life, and hopped aside as the wall behind him split into two. Alexis and McGonagall stepped onto a spiral staircase which was moving smoothly upwards, like an escalator. They rose upwards in circles, higher and higher, until at last, Alexis could see a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin.

She knew where she was being taken. This must be where Dumbledore lived.


	12. The Polyjuice Potion

This chapter is dedicated to Naruto the cat king.

They stepped off the stone staircase at the top and Professor McGonagall rapped on the door. It opened silently and they entered. Professor McGonagall told Alexis to wait, and left her there, alone.

Alexis looked around. She had been in Professor McGonagall and Filch's offices and caught a glimpse of Lockhart's office (it had apparently been plastered with pictures of him), but Dumbledore's office was the most interesting. If she hadn't been scared out of her wits that she was about to be thrown out of school, she would have been very pleased to have a chance to look around it.

It was a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little noises. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and mistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames, There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat – the _Sorting Hat_.

Alexis hesitated. She cast a wary eye around the sleeping witches and wizards on the walls. Surely it couldn't hurt if she took the hat and tried it on again? Just to see … just to make sure it _had_ put her in the right house.

She walked quietly around the desk, lifted the hat from its shelf, and lowered it slowly onto her head. It was much too large and slipped down over her eyes, just as it had done the last time she'd put it on, Alexis stared at the black inside of the hat, waiting. A small voice said in her ear, "Bee in your bonnet, Alexis Potter?"

"Er, yes," Alexis muttered. "Er – sorry to bother you – I wanted to ask –"

"You've been wondering whether I put you in the right house," said the hat smartly. "Yes ... you were particularly difficult to place. After all, you had the qualities of all the houses and could have probably fit anywhere. Your friends were the same, you know. I was quite tempted to create a fifth house just for the lot of you. However, creating a new house just for six students wasn't feasible, so I didn't. Anyway, I stand by what I said before –" Alexis's heart leapt "– you _would_ have done well in Slytherin."

Alexis's stomach plummeted. She was about to take the hat off when it added, "But you do lack some of the cunning of Slytherin house, and as a result, I acceded to your wishes of not wanting to be in Slytherin and put you in Gryffindor instead." She felt slightly better as she took off the hat and put it back onto its shelf.

She was about to sit when a strange, gagging noise behind her made her wheel around.

She wasn't alone after all. Standing on a golden perch behind the door was a decrepit-looking bird, which resembled a half-plucked turkey. Alexis stared at it and the bird looked balefully back, making its gagging noise again. She thought it looked very illd. Its eyes were dull, and even as Alexis watched, a couple more feathers fell out of its tail.

Alexis was just thinking that all she needed was for Dumbledore's pet bird to die while she was alone in the office with it, when the bird burst into flames.

She yelled in shock and backed away from the desk. She looked feverishly around in case there was a glass of water somewhere, but couldn't see one. The bird, meanwhile, had become a fireball; it gave one loud shriek and next second there was nothing but a smouldering pile of ash on the floor.

The office door opened. Dumbledore came in, looking very sombre.

"Professor," Alexis gasped, "your bird – I couldn't do anything – he just caught fire –"

To her astonishment, Dumbledore smiled. "About time, too," he said. "He's been looking dreadful for days. I've been telling him to get a move on."

Alexis blinked, then remembered something she'd read. "You mean he's a phoenix?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Yes, Alexis, Fawkes is a phoenix. Here, watch him …"

Alexis looked down in time to see a tiny, wrinkled, new-born bird poke its head out of the ashes. It was quite as ugly as the old one.

"It's a shame you had see him on a Burning Day," said Dumbledore, seating himself behind his desk. "He's really very handsome most of the time; wonderful red and gold plumage. Fascinating creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads, their tears have healing powers and they make highly _faithful_ pets."

In the shock of Fawkes catching fire, Alexis had forgotten what she was there for, but it all came back to her as Dumbledore settled himself in the high-backed chair behind his desk and fixed her with his penetrating, light blue stare.

Before Dumbledore could speak another word, however, the door to the office flew open with an almighty bang and Hagrid burst in, a wild look in his eyes, his balaclava perched on top of his shaggy black head and the dead rooster still swinging from his hand.

"It wasn' Alexis, Professor Dumbledore!" said Alexis urgently. "I was talkin' ter her _seconds_ before that kid was found, she never had time, sir …"

Dumbledore tried to say something, but Hagrid went ranting on, waving the rooster around in his agitation, sending feathers everywhere.

"… It can't've bin her, I'll swear it in front o' the Ministry o' Magic if I have to …"

"Hagrid, I –"

"… Yeh've got the wrong girl, sir, I _know_ Alexis never –"

"_Hagrid_!" said Dumbledore loudly. "I do _not_ think that Alexis attacked those people."

"Oh," said Hagrid, the rooster falling limply at his side. "Right, I'll wait outside then, Headmaster." And he stomped out looking embarrassed.

"You don't think it was me, Professor?" Alexis repeated hopefully, as Dumbledore brushed rooster feathers off his desk.

"No, Alexis, I don't," said Dumbledore, though his face was sombre again. "But I still want to talk to you. Mrs. Kent wrote to me of how Dobby the house-elf visited you and warned you that there was something sinister was going to happen at Hogwarts and asked you not to return. With what has happened, it appears that Dobby was right. Now, I mist ask you, Alexis, whether there is anything you'd like to tell me. Anything at all."

Alexis hesitated, unsure of what to say. She thought of Malfoy shouting, "You'll be next, Mudbloods!" and of the Polyjuice Potion, simmering away in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Then he thought of the disembodied voice he had heard twice and remembered what Ron had said: "_Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world._" She thought, too, about what everyone was saying about her, and her growing dread that she was somehow connected with Salazar Slytherin …

"No," said Alexis, "there isn't anything, Professor."

-------------------

The double attack on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick turned what had hitherto been nervousness into real panic. Curiously, it was Nearly Headless Nick's fate that seemed to worry people most. What could possibly do that to a ghost, people asked each other; what terrible power could harm someone who was already dead? There was almost a stampede to book seats on the Hogwarts Express so that students could go home for Christmas.

"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told, Alexis, Hermione, Eric, and Sophie. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."

Crabbe and Goyle, who always did whatever Malfoy did, had signed up to stay over the holidays, too. But Alexis was glad that most people were leaving. She was tired of people skirting around him in the corridors, as though she was about to sprout fangs or spit poison; tired of all the muttering, pointing, and hissing as she passed.

Fred and George, however, found all this very funny. They went out of their way to march ahead of Alexis down the corridors, shouting, "Make way for the Heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through …"

Percy was deeply disapproving of this behaviour. "It is _not_ a laughing matter."

"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Alexis is in a hurry."

"Yeah, she's nipping off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," said George, chortling.

Alexis didn't mind; it made her feel better that Fred and George, at least, thought the idea of her being Slytherin's heir was quite ludicrous. But their antics seemed to be aggravating Draco Malfoy, who looked increasingly sour each time he saw them at it.

"It's because he's _bursting_ to say it's really him," said Ron knowingly. "You know how he hates anyone beating him at anything, and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work."

"Not for long," said Hermione in a satisfied tone. "The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of him any day now."

"Of course, it won't change things among most of my housemates," said Beth sourly. "A number of them are convinced that Alexis is Slytherin's heir, and won't listen to anything Luna and I say to convince them otherwise. They think it's just another of Luna's crazy theories and believe that I've somehow been deluded to thinking the same. When it gets out that Alexis isn't Slytherin's heir, the other Ravenclaws aren't going to apologize to us for not believing us. Our dormmates upturned our trunks yesterday and short-sheeted our beds. This is getting very tiresome."

"Speak to Professor Flitwick and ask him to put a stop to things," suggested Sophie.

"It won't help matters at all," said Beth. "My dormmates wouldn't be pleased that I got them into trouble and would find new ways to make life unpleasant for Luna and me." She quickly changed to subject back to the Polyjuice Potion.

At last the term ended, and a silence deep as the snow on the grounds descended on the castle. Alexis found it peaceful, rather than gloomy, and enjoyed the fact that she, Hermione, Sophie, Eric, and the Weasleys had the run of Gryffindor tower, which meant they could play Exploding Snap loudly without bothering anyone, and practise duelling in private. Fred, George, and Ginny had chosen to stay at school rather than visit Bill in Egypt with their parents. Percy, who disapproved of what he termed their childish behaviour, didn't spend much time in the Gryffindor common room. He had already told them pompously that _he_ was only staying over Christmas because it was his duty as a prefect to support the teachers during this trouble time.

Christmas morning dawned, cold and white. Alexis and Sophie woke up to Hermione wishing them 'Merry Christmas' and then tossing her presents to them onto their beds. "Oh, and I've already been up for nearly an hour, adding more lacewings to the potion, It's ready." Alexis suddenly became wide-awake, but before she could say anything, Hermione gathered her presents for Ron and Eric and left to wake up the boys.

At that moment, Hedwig swooped into the room carrying a package in her beak.

"Hello, Hedwig," said Alexis happily, as she landed on her bed. "Merry Christmas."

Hedwig nibbled Alexis's ear in an affectionate sort of way, which was a better present than the one she had brought her, which turned out to be from the Dursleys. They had sent Alexis an old flowered scarf of Aunt Petunia's and a note telling her to find out whether she'd be able to stay at Hogwarts for the summer holidays, too. The scarf had a rip in one corner and a coffee stain at the ends, which was obviously why Aunt Petunia didn't want it anymore and gifted it to Alexis.

Two spells took care of the rip and stain and Alexis set the scarf aside and turned her attention to the rest of her presents. Hagrid had sent her a large tin of treacle fudge; Ron had given her a book called_Flying with the Cannons_, a book of interesting facts about his favourite Quidditch team; and Hermione had bought her a luxury eagle-feather quill. Eric's present was a bottle of lavender water, Sophie's a box containing lotion, a bottle of bath salts, rose-scented soap, and a jar of face cream, and Neville's a book on magical plants in Britain. Ginny's gift was a box of sweets, Luna's a bottle of nail polish that painted each of your nails a different colour, Beth's present the book _Pride and Prejudice_ by Jane Austen, and Gary's the book _Jane Eyre_ by Charlotte Bronte.

Mrs. Channing's present was books, as usual, this time three of the works by Charles Dickens, _The Christmas Carol_, _David Copperfield_, and _Great Expectations_. Matt's gift was _Heidi_, by Johanna Spyri, Emma's a red coral bracelet, and Kyra's a box of various Muggle cosmetics. Mrs. Kent had sent a combination jewellery and music box and to Alexis's surprise, Mrs. Longbottom had also sent a gift, a silver butterfly-shaped pin. The last present Alexis opened was from Mrs. Weasley, which was a new, hand-knitted jumper and a large plum cake.

No one, not even someone dreading taking Polyjuice Potion later, could fail to enjoy Christmas dinner at Hogwarts.

The Great Hall looked magnificent. Not only were there a dozen frost-covered Christmas trees and thick streamers of holly and mistletoe criss-crossing the ceiling, but enchanted snow was falling, warm and dry, from the ceiling. Dumbledore led them in a few of his favourite carols, Hagrid booming more and more loudly with every goblet of eggnog he consumed. Percy, who hadn't noticed that Fred had bewitched his Prefect badge so that it now read "pinhead", kept asking them all what they were sniggering at. Alexis didn't even care that Draco Malfoy was making loud, snide remarks about her new jumper from the Slytherin table. With a bit of luck, Malfoy would be getting his come-uppance in a few hours time.

Hermione escorted her friends out of the hall after dessert to finalise their plans for the evening. "We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," said Hermione matter-of-factly. "Ron and Eric, you'll have to transform into Crabbe and Goyle, as they're Malfoy's best friends and he'll tell them anything. We'll also need to make sure the real Crabbe and Goyle can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him.

"I've got it all worked out," she went on smoothly, ignoring Eric and Ron's stupefied faces. She held up two plump chocolate cakes. "I've filled these with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom cupboard."

Eric and Ron looked incredulously at each other. "Hermione, I don't think –"

"That could go seriously wrong –"

"The potion will be useless without Crabbe and Goyle's hair!" snapped Sophie. "We need to investigate Malfoy and it's the best plan."

"Okay, but what you girls?" asked Eric. "Whose hair are you ripping out?"

"We already have hair from three Slytherin girls," said Sophie calmly. "Hermione and I each got a hair from Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode at the Duelling Club. And a few days ago, I was able to acquire a hair from Tracey Davis. All three girls have gone home for Christmas, so we'll just have to tell the Slytherins we decided to come back."

"Wouldn't it just be easier to ask Daphne to see if Malfoy's the culprit?" asked Eric.

"No, because something is the matter with Daphne these days," responded Sophie curtly. "She looks pale and nervous, and anyway, after Daphne made it clear that she's friends with Muggleborns, do you think Malfoy would tell her anything?"

Eric had to admit that Sophie was right and didn't pursue the matter further.

When Sophie and Hermione had bustled off to check on the Polyjuice Potion again, Ron turned to Eric and Alexis with a doom-laden expression. "Have you ever heard of a plan where so many things could go wrong?"

However, stage one of the operation went just as smoothly as Hermione had said. Eric and Ron showed up at Moaning Myrtle's bathroom with hair and shoes from Crabbe and Goyle.

Hermione ladled out the potion into six glass tumblers, and then added the hair. Millicent Bulstrode's hair caused the potion to turn into a sick sort of yellow. Goyle's turned the khaki colour of a bogey and Crabbe's a dark, murky brown. Pansy Parkinson's turned a sickly shade of pink, and Tracey Davis's a pale green colour.

"Ick," said Eric. "They're all disgusting, except for Tracey Davis's. Oh well." He reached for the Goyle's goblet and said, "We'd better not drink them all in here. It's already a tight squeeze with five of us and once Ron and I turn into Crabbe and Goyle we won't fit. And Millicent Bulstrode's no pixie."

Eric and Ron took separate cubicles, Hermione stayed where she was, and Alexis and Sophie took the last empty cubicle.

Alexis downed the potion, which didn't taste too bad, but still wasn't exactly pleasant tasting. Immediately, her insides started writhing as though she'd just swallowed live snakes – doubled up, she wondered whether she was going to be sick – then a burning sensation spread rapidly from her stomach to the very ends of her fingers and toes. She felt herself grow taller by one inch, saw the ends of her curly hair straighten out and turn brown, and her eyesight improving so that she didn't need glasses.

When the transformation was over, Alexis removed her glasses and looked at Sophie, who now looked like pug-faced Pansy Parkinson. The two girls stepped out the cubicle and went to the mirror. Alexis stopped as she saw Tracey staring back at her.

Ron and Eric stepped out of their cubicles and Alexis turned to look at them. The two boys were indistinguishable from Crabbe and Goyle.

"This is unbelievable," said Ron, approaching the mirror and prodding Crabbe's flat nose.

"We'd better get going," said Alexis. "We've still got to find out where the Slytherin common room is, and all we know is that Daphne once told us it was in the dungeons."

"Just a sec," said Eric. He banged on Hermione's door. "C'mon, we need to go …"

A high-pitched voice answered him. "I – I don't think I'm going to come after all. You go on without me."

"Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you."

"No – really – I don't want think I'll come. You four hurry up, you're wasting time."

The four exchanged bewildered looks. "Hermione, you OK?" asked Eric through the door.

"Fine – I'm fine … Go on –"

Alexis looked at her watch. Five of their precious sixty minutes had already passed.

"We'll meet you back here, all right?" she asked.

They opened the door to the bathroom carefully, checking the coast was clear and set off.

They went down the marble staircase. All they needed now was a Slytherin who they could follow to the Slytherin common room, but there was nobody around.

"Well, we might as well go down to the dungeons and see if there's any Slytherins there," said Eric. The words had barely left his mouth when a girl with long curly hair emerged from the entrance to the dungeons.

"Excuse me," said Ron, hurrying up to her, "We've forgotten the way to our common room."

"I beg your pardon?" said the girl stiffly. "_Our_ common room. _I'm_ a Ravenclaw."

The hurried down the stone steps into the darkness, feeling that this wasn't going to be as easy as they had hoped.

The labyrinthine passages were deserted. They walked deeper and deeper under the school, constantly checking their watches to see how much time they had left. After a quarter of an hour, just as they were getting desperate, they heard a sudden movement ahead. "Ha!" said Ron excitedly. "There's one of them now!"

The figure was emerging from a side room. As they hurried nearer, however, their hearts sank. It wasn't a Slytherin, it was Percy.

"What're you doing down here?" asked Ron in surprise.

Percy looked affronted. "That," he said stiffly, "is none of your business. It's Crabbe, isn't it?"

"Wh – oh yeah," said Ron.

"Well, get off to your dormitories," said Percy sternly. "It's not safe to go wandering around dark corridors these days."

"_You_ are," Ron pointed out. Alexis wished Ron would shut up.

"I," said Percy, drawing himself up, "am a prefect. Nothing's about to attack _me_."

A voice suddenly echoed behind Alexis and her friends. Draco Malfoy was strolling towards them, and for the first time in her life, Alexis was pleased to see him.

"There you are," he drawled. "Have you two been pigging out in the Great Hall all this time? Hey, what are you doing back at Hogwarts, Pansy and Tracey?"

"Tracey's been invited to the Mrs. Kent's yearly party," said Sophie quickly. "She came back for a bit to speak to Sophie about it. I'm just keeping her company. I also want to find out why Sophie's grandmother hasn't invited me. She's always invited me before."

"Oh," said Malfoy. He glanced witheringly at Percy.

"And what're you doing down here, Weasley?" he sneered.

Percy looked outraged. "You want to show a bit more respect to a school prefect!" he snapped. "I don't like your attitude."

Malfoy just sneered and motioned the others to follow him. Alexis was tempted to say something apologetic to Percy, but then remembered that she was in the guise of Tracey. She kept her mouth shut and with her friends hurried after Malfoy, who said as they turned into the next passageway, "That Peter Weasley –"

"Percy," Ron corrected him automatically.

"Whatever," said Malfoy. "I've noticed him sneaking around a lot lately. And I bet I know what he's up to. He thinks he's going to catch Slytherin's heir single-handed."

Malfoy paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.

"What's the new password again?" he asked Eric.

"Er –" said Eric.

"Oh yeah – _pureblood_!" said Malfoy, not listening, and a stone door concealed in the wall slid open. Malfoy marched through it and the four followed him.

They sat in five empty chairs set back from the fire. Sophie remarked, "It's simply a disgusting that the Mrs. Kent isn't inviting the Parkinsons to her party like last year. She doesn't care any more about respectable pureblood families like ours anymore."

Malfoy nodded. "Well, considering that she's related to blood-traitors, I'm not surprised, Pansy. She's the great-aunt of the Weasley kids and aunt-by-marriage to that Arthur Weasley. You know, he loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go and join them. You'd never know the Weasleys were purebloods, the way they behave."

Ron – or rather Crabbe's face – was contorted with fury.

"What's up with you, Crabbe?" snapped Malfoy.

"Stomach ache," Ron grunted.

"Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me," said Malfoy, snickering. "You know, I'm surprised the_Daily Prophet_ hasn't reported all these attacks yet," he went on thoughtfully. "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father's always said Dumbledore's the worst things that's ever happened to this place. He loves Muggle-borns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in."

Malfoy started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of Colin: "Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, please, Potter?"

Alexis and Sophie quickly forced themselves to laugh. Malfoy dropped his hands and looked at Ron and Eric. "What's the _matter_ with you two?"

Far too late, Ron and Eric forced themselves to laugh, but Malfoy seemed satisfied; perhaps Crabbe and Goyle were always slow on the uptake.

"Saint Alexis Potter, the Mudbloods' friend," said Malfoy slowly. "She's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or she wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people think _she's_ Slytherin's heir."

The four of them waited with bated breath; Malfoy was surely seconds away from telling them it was him. But then –

"I_wish_ I knew who it _is_," said Malfoy petulantly. "I could help them."

Ron's jaw dropped so that Crabbe's face looked even more gormless than usual. Fortunately, Malfoy didn't notice, and Eric said, "You must have some idea who's behind it all."

"You know I haven't, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Malfoy. "And Father won't tell me _anything_ about the last time the Chamber opened, either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll look suspicious if I know too much about it. But I know one thing: last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudblood _died_. So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them is killed this time ... I hope it's Granger."

Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fists. Sophie shot him a warning look, then purred, "Draco, do you happen to know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?"

"Oh, yeah ... whoever it was was expelled," said Malfoy. "they're probably still in Azkaban." Alexis stifled a gasp, having read about Azkaban prison and knew that it was a terrible place. Death Eaters deserved being sent there, but the other prisoners didn't.

Malfoy shifted restlessly in his chair and said, "Father says to keep my head down and let the heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs ridding of all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it. Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our Manor last week?"

Alexis assumed a look of concern. "Really?" she asked, sounding worried.

"Yeah…" said Malfoy. "Luckily they didn't find much. Father's got some_very_ valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily, we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing room floor."

Alexis glanced at her watch, saw that time was up, and said, "Sorry, Draco, but Pansy and I have to find Sophie Kent and speak with her and then return home. Good-bye."

She and Sophie left the room quickly. Eric and Ron realized that they were starting to transform back and followed the girls, Ron claiming to get medicine for his stomach.

At the entrance hall, Ron and Eric left Crabbe and Goyle's shoes in front of the cupboard where they'd locked the two Slytherins, which was now full of a muffled pounding. Then they all sprinted up the marble staircase towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"Well, it wasn't a complete waste of time," Ron panted, closing the bathroom door behind them. "I know we still haven't found out who's doing the attacks, but I'm going to write Dad tomorrow and tell him to check under the Malfoys' drawing room."

Alexis checked her face in the cracked mirror. She was back to normal. She put on her glasses as Ron hammered on the door to Hermione's cubicle.

"Hermione, come out, we've got loads to tell you –"

"Go away!" Hermione squeaked.

The four exchanged looks, then Alexis asked, "Hermione, what is the matter? Surely you must be back to normal by now, as we all are."

But Moaning Myrtle glided suddenly through the cubicle door. Alexis had never seen her looking so happy.

"Ooooooh, wait til you see," she said. "It's _awful_!"

They heard the lock slide back and Hermione emerged, sobbing, her robes pulled up over her head.

"What's up?" asked Ron uncertainly. "Have you still got Millicent's nose or something?"

Hermione let her robes fall and Ron backed into the sink.

Her face was covered in black fur. Her eyes had gone yellow and there were long pointed ears poking through her hair.

"It was c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"

"Uh oh," they all said simultaneously.

"You'll be teased something _dreadful_," said Myrtle happily.

"It's okay, Hermione," said Alexis quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions."

It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped them on their way with a hearty guffaw. "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a _tail_!"

As a result, Hermione couldn't go to the Boxing Day party. Her friends offered to stay behind with her, but Hermione told them to go the party anyway.

The next day, the four and Ginny stopped to make sure Hermione was all right, then with Percy and the Weasley twins, Flooed to Mrs. Kent's party. "So I finally get to meet Percy," said Mrs. Kent when they arrived. "It is a pleasure to meet another of my grand-nephews." She hugged Percy, then turned to the others and greeted them. After, she beckoned to a man in his early thirties, with greying brown hair and in navy blue robes.

"Alexis, this is Remus Lupin. He was one of your father's best friends, and he was employed by me for six years as Sophie's tutor."

"Hello, Alexis," said Remus. "Other than your black hair and glasses, you look like your mother, Lily." Alexis introduced her friends, including Luna, Beth, and Gary, who had arrived a few minutes ago, and then she spent two hours talking with Remus. He told her that James Potter and his three friends had formed a little group known as the Marauders and went on about the mischief they had gotten in. James and Sirius Black had caused most of it, but Remus and Peter Pettigrew had also taken part.

When it was time for dinner, Remus left for the adult table, while Alexis joined her friends at the table reserved for them. Ms. Rawlins had told Beth and Gary more about their father, and had shown them pictures and some other things from four boxes that had never been opened before. Apparently after Keith Rawlins death, his fiancée had packed his things away and never touched them until now.

"It was really interesting, learning so much stuff about our dad," said Gary. "I think I want to become an Auror like him when I graduate from Hogwarts."

"Me too," said Beth. "Mum gave me Dad's wand, and Gary got Dad's watch. We wish Mum had told us about Dad earlier, but we can understand why she waited for so long."

Sophie then changed the subject to the Chamber of Secrets. "I spoke with Grandmother and she told me that she had been a student when it opened before. A girl had died and the school was about to close. Then a fifth or sixth year Slytherin prefect, named Tom Riddle, went to Armando Dippet, the headmaster back then, and revealed that he caught the culprit. Supposedly it was Rubeus Hagrid."

Alexis dropped her fork, Eric knocked over his goblet, which fortunately was mostly empty, Ron spit out his mouthful of juice, Neville choked, Beth and Gary's mouths fell open, and Ginny tumbled out of her chair. Luna was the only one that didn't show shock.

"Excuse me?" asked Alexis, certain that she had heard Sophie incorrectly.

"I'm not joking," said Sophie. "Grandmother says that Hagrid was blamed for it and was expelled, though Dumbledore, who was the Transfiguration teacher then, persuaded Professor Dippet to allow Hagrid to be trained as gamekeeper. However, Grandmother also thinks that Hagrid was framed. He was only a third-year Gryffindor at the time and wouldn't have known the magic to open the Chamber. True, he had a fondness for dangerous creatures even back then, but if he had the power to open the Chamber because he thought whatever monster was in there deserved fresh air, then why didn't he use his power to keep this Tom Riddle from turning him in?"

"But if Hagrid was framed, then who was the real culprit?" asked Alexis.

Sophie shrugged. "Grandmother had no idea. In any case, after Hagrid was caught, the Chamber of Secrets wasn't opened again during the rest of her time at Hogwarts."

"This is very interesting," said Beth. "Anyway, what happened to this Tom Riddle?"

"He received a award for special services to the school," answered Sophie. "He later became Head Boy. Grandmother doesn't know what happened to him after he graduated, except that he once applied for the Defence Against Dark Arts post."

"Well, if Great-Aunt Sophia doesn't know anything more about Riddle, does she know anything about the girl who died and the Chamber opening?" asked Ginny.

"Not really. All Grandmother can remember is that the girl who died was in Ravenclaw."

They then noticed Fred and George looking curiously at them from the next table and the subject was quickly changed.

After dinner, Alexis and her friends played games and discussed who might be opening the Chamber now, since they'd discovered that it wasn't Malfoy. However, all they could come up with was that it was probably another Slytherin. At ten o'clock, the party ended and everyone went home.


	13. Valentine's Day

Hermione remained in the hospital wing for several weeks. There was a flurry of rumour about her disappearance when the rest of the school arrived back from their Christmas holidays, because of course everyone thought that she had been attacked. So many students filed past the hospital wing trying to catch a glimpse of her that Madam Pomfrey took out her curtains again and placed them around Hermione's bed, to spare her the shame of being seen with a furry face. Her friends went to visit her every evening. When the new term started, they brought her each day's homework.

"If I'd sprouted whiskers, I'd take a break from work," said Ron, tipping a stack of books onto Hermione's bedside table one evening.

"Don't be silly, Ron, I've got to keep up," said Hermione briskly. Her spirits were greatly improved by the fact that all the hair had gone from her face and her eyes were slowly turning back to brown. "I don't suppose you've got any new leads?" she added in a whisper, so that Madam Pomfrey couldn't hear her.

"Nothing," said Alexis gloomily. "We haven't found out anything."

"Yeah," sighed Sophie. "All we know is that it isn't Malfoy and that Hagrid was supposedly responsible the last time. I've written Grandmother, but she hasn't been able to tell me anything more about it, other than that she remembered the girl who died was found in a bathroom and that she thinks her name began with 'm' or 'n'."

"Well, that's no help," said Eric. "Even if Grandmother Sophia remembered the name of the girl, it wouldn't help any, because she's dead and we can't question her."

Neville bent down and picked up a gold card lying on the ground. "What's this card doing on the floor?" he asked. He flicked it open and read out loud: "_To Miss Granger, wishing you a speedy recovery, from your concerned teacher, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin Third Class, Honorary member of the Dark Force Defence League and five times winner of _Witch Weekly's_ Most-Charming-Smile Award_."

"No wonder it was on the ground," remarked Ginny, making a face.

Hermione grimaced. "I tossed that card aside after Professor Lockhart had left. Ginny, could you please throw it out for me?" Ginny nodded and tossed it into the rubbish bin.

"What do we do about Hagrid?" asked Gary. "It doesn't seem likely that Hagrid opened the Chamber last time. But maybe he knows something about it that Mrs. Kent doesn't."

"I don't think Hagrid would know much more than Mrs. Kent," said Alexis. "If he didn't open it, he would have no idea who did or whatever monster is supposed to be in it."

"We could still question him, though," said Sophie. "Hagrid might know something."

"Oh, that'd be a great conversation," said Ron sarcastically. "Hello, Hagrid, tell us, have you been setting anything mad and hairy loose in the castle lately?"

Beth cuffed Ron on the arm. "We wouldn't put it like that, Ronald Bilius Weasley! But I suppose we shouldn't talk to Hagrid just yet about it."

After some talk, they decided not to say anything to Hagrid unless there was another attack. They then bid Hermione good night and left so she could start her homework.

Gary was about to head down to the Hufflepuff common room near the kitchens when he paused. An angry outburst from the floor above could be heard. "That's Filch," Alexis muttered, as they hurried up the stairs and paused, out of sight, listening hard.

"You don't think someone else's been attacked?" asked Ron tensely.

They stood quite still, their heads inclined towards Filch's voice, which sounded quite hysterical. "… _even more work for me! Mopping all night, like I haven't got enough to do! No this is the final straw, I'm going to Dumbledore …_"

His footsteps receded and they heard a distant door slam. They poked their heads around the corner. Filch had clearly been manning his usual look-out post: they were once again on the spot where Mrs. Norris had been attacked. They saw at once what Filch had been shouting about. A great flood of water stretched over half the corridor, and it looked as though it was still seeping from under the door of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Now that he had stopped shouting, they could hear Myrtle's wails echoing off the bathroom walls.

"_Now_ what is the matter with Myrtle?" asked Gary, sounding annoyed.

"Let's go ask her and see if we can comfort her," suggested Luna. Gary and Ron rolled their eyes, but didn't say anything. The nine of them entered the bathroom.

Moaning Myrtle was crying, if possible, louder and harder than ever before. She seemed to be hiding down her usual toilet. It was dark in the bathroom, because the candles had been extinguished in the great rush of water that had left both walls and floor soaking wet.

When they asked what was the matter, Myrtle revealed that she was minding her own business when someone threw a book at her. Alexis pointed out, quite reasonably, that it wouldn't hurt when someone threw something at Myrtle. This was the wrong thing to say, for Myrtle became very mad and sarcastically suggested turning it into a game.

"Well, could you tell us who threw it at you?" asked Beth in a gentle and concerned voice.

"_I_ don't know ... I was just sitting in the U-bend, thinking about death, and it fell right through the top of my head," said Myrtle, glaring at them. "It's over there, it got washed out." They looked under the sink, where Myrtle was pointing. A small, thin book lay there. It had a shabby black cover and was wet as everything else in the bathroom. Gary stepped forward to pick it up, but Ron suddenly flung out an arm to hold him back.

Ron then said the book could be dangerous and listed some examples of dangerous books. He would have continued, but Gary interrupted with, "That book isn't dangerous, Ron. I recognize it. It's the diary I found in one of my schoolbooks and gave to Daphne."

He bent down and picked it up. "Well, why would Daphne get rid of it?" inquired Sophie. "In this manner, I mean. If she had filled up the diary and didn't want to keep it, she should have tossed it in the rubbish bin, not try to flush it away."

"What if Daphne wasn't the one to get rid of her diary?" asked Beth. "Someone could have stolen it and decided to get rid of it this way when they were done reading it."

"If that's the case, then we need to return it to Daphne," said Ginny.

Ron took the diary from Gary. "Maybe this will give us a clue as to why someone tried to flush it." He opened it, but Sophie snatched it before he could read anything.

"Ronald Weasley! You know better than to read someone's diary!" Sophie slammed shut the cover, looking annoyed. "Tomorrow, I will find Daphne and return this to her."

Alexis didn't say anything. She wouldn't read anyone's diary, either, unless it was Malfoy's. She'd make an exception for him in hopes of finding good blackmail material.

Gary went to his common room and the rest went to the Ravenclaw common room. There, Beth and Luna answered the question the statue asked (What is as round as the moon and as deep as a cup, yet all of Earth's waters cannot fill it up?), bid the others good night, and went inside. The rest then headed for the Gryffindor common room.

The next afternoon, Alexis and her second year friends met Daphne at the library.

"We found this in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Daphne," said Sophie, taking the diary, now dry, out of her bag. "Gary recognized it as the diary he gave you."

Daphne, looking absolutely terrified, snatched the diary out of Sophie's hands. "Beth thinks someone stole it and threw it away when they were done with it," said Eric.

"Yes, that's what happened," said Daphne hurriedly. "I've been looking for it the past couple of days. Thank you for finding it." She shoved the diary in her bag.

"Move aside, Daffy," said Pansy nastily. "You're blocking our way." Behind her, Tracey and Millicent smirked. Daphne jumped and then fled, a frightened look on her face.

"Don't call Daphne that!" exclaimed Alexis angrily. "And you frightened her off when we were trying to talk to her!"

"I can call that blood-traitor whatever I want," retorted Pansy. "And she should be frightened." With that, she strode away, Millicent and Tracey behind her.

Hermione left the hospital wing, de-whiskered, tail-less, and fur-free, at the beginning of February. On her first evening back in Gryffindor tower, they told her how Daphne was avoiding them. Neville had realized that they had been ignoring Daphne pretty much since Halloween. They had tried to apologize to her and include her in their activities, but she always brushed them off or went a different direction when she saw them. She was always the first one to leave when Potions ended, so they couldn't talk to her then, either.

Hermione tried to talk to Daphne, but had no luck either. Finally they gave up trying to talk to Daphne and study sessions resumed. While Hermione had been in the hospital wing, her friends hadn't done anything new in Defence. They had practiced spells they already learned, and studied the theory for new spells, but that was it. They didn't want Hermione to fall behind in spellwork, so had waited for her.

The sun had now begun to shine weakly on Hogwarts again. Inside the castle, the mood had grown more hopeful. There had been no more attacks since those on Justin and Nearly Headless Nick, and Madam Pomfrey was pleased to report that the Mandrakes were becoming moody and secretive, meaning that they were fast leaving childhood.

"The moment their acne clears up, they'll be ready for re-potting again," Alexis heard her telling Filch kindly one afternoon. "And after that, it won't be long until we're cutting them up and stewing them. You'll have Mrs. Norris back in no time."

Perhaps the heir of Slytherin had lost his or her nerve, thought Alexis. It must be getting riskier to open the Chamber of Secrets, with the school so alert and suspicious. Perhaps the monster was even now settling itself down to hibernate for another fifty years …

Ernie Macmillan didn't take this cheerful view. Despite what Emma and her friends Jade and Megan said, he was still convinced that Alexis was the guilty one, that she had 'given herself away' at the Duelling Club. Emma became so annoyed that she actually pranked Ernie. Fred and George were impressed by the prank and congratulated her after breakfast. George also asked, quite loudly, if Emma would go with him to the next Hogsmeade visit. She blushed and replied, "Maybe. I have to get to know you better."

Lockhart seemed to think he himself had made the attacks stop. Alexis overheard him telling Professor McGonagall so while the Gryffindors were lining up for Transfiguration.

"I don't think there'll be any more trouble, Minerva," he said, tapping his nose knowingly and winking. "I think the Chamber has been locked for good this time. The culprit must have known it was only a matter of time before I caught them. Rather sensible to stop now, before I can down hard on them.

"You know, what the school needs now is a morale-booster. Wash away the memories of last term! I won't say any more just now, but I think I know just the thing …"

He tapped his nose again and strode off.

Lockhart's idea of a morale-booster became clear at breakfast time on February the fourteenth. Alexis hadn't had much sleep because of a late-running Quidditch practice the night before, so she was running slightly late. She gathered up the platonic Valentines she had made for her friends and hurried down to the Great Hall. She thought, for a moment, that she'd walked through the wrong doors.

The walls were all covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Worse still, heart-shaped confetti was falling from the pale blue ceiling. Alexis went over to the Gryffindor table, where Ron and Eric were sitting looking sickened, Sophie and Neville unsure of how to react, and Hermione seemed to come over rather giggly.

"What's going on?" Alexis asked them, sitting down, and wiping confetti off her bacon.

Ron pointed to the teachers' table, apparently too disgusted to speak. Lockhart, wearing lurid pink robes to match the decorations, was waving for silence. The teachers on either side of him were looking stony-faced. From where she sat, Alexis could see a muscle going in Professor McGonagall's cheek. Snape looked as though someone had just fed him a large beaker of Skele-Gro.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Lockhart shouted. "And may I thank the forty-five people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have taken the liberty of arranging this little surprise for you all – and it doesn't end here!"

Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the Entrance Hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Not just any dwarfs, however. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps. "My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your Valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter into the spirit of the occasion! Why not ask Professor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love Potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly old dog!"

Professor Flitwick buried his face in his hands. Snape was looking as though the first person to ask him for a Love Potion would be force-fed poison.

Alexis was glad that she had gathered up the Valentines she had made, for she didn't want to subject her friends to the embarrassment of having a dwarf deliver them. She dug into her bag and handed them out. Neville looked very relieved when she handed him her Valentine. "Thank you, Alexis," he said gratefully, and it wasn't just for the Valentine. He was obviously also thankful that a dwarf didn't have to deliver them.

Alexis got up to give Beth, Luna, and Gary their Valentines. However, halfway to the Ravenclaw table, a dwarf stopped her and snatched the three Valentines out of her hands. "I'll deliver them." Before she could stop him, he marched over to the Ravenclaw table.

Alexis groaned as the dwarf read out the Valentines for Beth and Luna. She groaned even more as the dwarf then went to the Hufflepuff table to give Gary his Valentine. Gary turned red, but as the Valentine said nothing more than, "Happy Valentine's Day, Gary! You are a good friend," there was little for anyone to tease him about.

All day long, the dwarfs kept barging into their classes to deliver Valentines, to the annoyance of the teachers. During lunch, Kyra managed to stop one of the dwarves from delivering her Valentine to Oliver Wood. She handed Wood her Valentine personally, sparing him from embarrassment.

George, however, did nothing to prevent a dwarf from delivering his Valentine to Emma. The entire Great Hall heard the dwarf read out loud, "You're a prankster too, Emma, and you fill me with glee. We've gotten to know each other, so will you go out with me?"

Alexis expected Emma to be embarrassed or angry, but instead, she wrote a reply and sent it to George via the dwarf. The dwarf read, "Your poetry isn't that great, but I suppose it will do. In answer to your question, yes, I'll go out with you."

There was much laughter over this. "Well, I suppose they'll get along well, since Emma has a sense of humour, too," commented Sophie.

That afternoon, Alexis was no longer laughing, for a dwarf caught up to her. Eric skidded to a stop behind the dwarf and snapped, "Hey, give my Valentine back! It isn't supposed to be delivered!" The dwarf ignored him and looked up at Alexis.

Eric groaned, his face red. "I'm really sorry, Alexis. That dratted dwarf somehow got hold of the Valentine that I had no intention of delivering. I should have burned it."

"It's all right," said Alexis, resigning herself to having the dwarf read the Valentine.

"_Your eyes are prettier than emeralds,_

_Your hair is as dark as a raven's wing,_

_You are sweet and kind and courageous,_

_And your voice is lovely when you sing._

_I do not deserve to have you for a friend,_

_For you are a wonderful and quite divine,_

_I wish we could be more than just friends,_

_For me to be yours and you to be mine._"

Alexis froze, not paying any attention to the laughter going on around her. Did Eric mean what he had written in the Valentine? If that was the case, it meant he had a crush on her.

Finally Malfoy's mocking voice penetrated her thoughts. "Well, well, it looks as if Carrow has a crush on Potter here. And revealing it in such bad poetry."

"It is not bad poetry!" snapped Alexis, feeling a surge of anger. "It's pretty decent for a second-year student! Any poetry that _you_ wrote, Malfoy, would be terrible, however. And Eric is a wonderful person and I have no problem with it if he has a crush on me! In fact, I'd be happy to return his feelings!" With that, she kissed Eric on the cheek.

He gently touched the place she had kissed him. "I – I –," he stammered. He hesitated, then asked, "Do you really return my feelings for you, Alexis?"

"Of course," she responded, without even pausing to think it over. "Though it did take Malfoy's mocking before I realized it." She turned to Malfoy and said sweetly, "Thank you, Draco. You've helped me realize that I like Eric as more than just a friend. Perhaps you should become a matchmaker. Or maybe you can pair yourself with Pansy. I've noticed her fawning over you a few times and she seems to like you very much."

A pink tinge appeared in Malfoy's cheeks. "Mind your own business!" he snapped.

"As you wish," said Alexis with a mocking smile. She and Eric continued on their way to Charms, holding hands the entire way. Ron looked as if he wanted to tease his friends, but a fierce glare and nudge from Hermione silenced him.

That evening, Alexis and Eric sat close to one another by the fireplace and did their homework together. They had mutually decided to not do too much about their crush, for they were only twelve, after all. Holding hands and the occasional kiss on the cheek was fine, but they would not go any further than that until they were older.

Before they went to bed, Eric hesitantly kissed Alexis on the cheek. She blushed and returned the kiss. As she drifted off to sleep, she wondered how the crush would play out.

A/N: Chocolate will be given to those than can answer the question to enter the Ravenclaw common room. Please include your answer in a review.


	14. A Triple Attack

Ever since Valentine's Day, there seemed to be more couples at Hogwarts. Alexis once walked in upon Kyra and Oliver Wood snogging in an empty classroom. She had backed out the room immediately, face crimson. Fortunately, the two hadn't noticed her. Alexis also came across Percy snogging the Ravenclaw they'd accidentally asked for directions to the Slytherin common room. However, they spotted her, and Percy made her promise not to tell anyone else, especially Fred and George.

Emma and George did not indulge in kissing, at least not where anyone could see them. Instead, they could be found plotting or carrying out pranks. One morning, the entire Slytherin table found their robes had turned red and gold. The charm didn't wear off until after breakfast. Another time, the salt and sugar had been switched, so that the dessert tasted salty, while the soups and meat and such were sweet.

Alexis and Eric did not do too much about their crush. They did their homework together, held hands, and occasionally kissed each other on the cheek, but that was it.

During the Easter holidays, the second-years had to select what new classes to take next term. None of their old classes were dropped, and Ron said if that hadn't been the case, he would have dropped Defense Against Dark Arts. When Hermione protested that it was an important and useful class, Ron retorted that it wasn't with Lockhart for a teacher.

Neville received several letters from his relatives, all full of advice on which classes to take. He went around asking others if Arithmancy sounded harder than Ancient Runes. Dean Thomas, who was raised by Muggles, just closed his eyes and jabbed his wand at the list, selecting the classes his wand landed on. Alexis couldn't ask her relatives for advice, but Kyra took her aside one afternoon and gave her some.

"You've been raised in the Muggle world, so I wouldn't advise Muggle Studies, Alexis," said Kyra. "And I wouldn't recommend Divination, either. Professor Trelawney is mostly a fraud. I dropped the class a week into term and switched to Ancient Runes instead. The other classes are fine and I suggest you take them."

In the end, Alexis signed up Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy, and Ancient Runes. Hermione took nobody's advice and signed up for everything. Sophie signed up for the same classes as Alexis. Eric decided on Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy, and Muggle Studies. When asked why he chose Muggle Studies, he said that it would annoy his grandparents. Neville and Ron chose Divination and Care of Magical Creatures.

Quidditch practices resumed and Alexis threw herself into them. The next match was against Hufflepuff and she was certain that Gryffindor would win. However, it wasn't likely she'd pull off capturing the Snitch within five minutes again.

The morning of the match was sunny and with a light, refreshing breeze.

"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Alexis, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."

As Alexis left the Great Hall with her friends to go and collect her Quidditch things, something serious and worrying happened. He had just set foot on the marble staircase when he heard it yet again: _"Kill this time ... let me rip ... tear ..." _

She shouted aloud and her friends both jumped away from her in alarm.

"The voice!" said Alexis, looking over her shoulder. "I just heard it again - didn't you?"

Ron shook his head, wide-eyed. Hermione, however, clapped a hand to her forehead.

"Alexis - I think I've just understood something! I've got to go to the library!" And she sprinted away, up the stairs.

"_What_ does she understand?" said Alexisdistractedly, still looking around, trying to tell where the voice had come from.

"Loads more than I do," said Ron, shaking his head.

"But why's she got to go to the library?" asked Alexis

"Because that's what Hermione does," said Ron, shrugging. "When in doubt, go to the library."

Alexis stood, irresolute, trying to catch the voice again, but people were now emerging from the Great Hall behind her, talking loudly, exiting through the front doors on their way to the Quidditch pitch.

"You'd better get moving," said Sophie. "It's nearly eleven - the match."

Alexis raced up to Gryffindor Tower, collected her Nimbus Two Thousand and joined the large crowd swarming across the grounds, but her mind was still in the castle, along with the bodiless voice, and as she pulled on her scarlet robes in the changing room, her only comfort was that everyone was now outside to watch the game.

The teams walked onto the pitch to tumultuous applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the goal posts; Madam Hooch released the balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics.

Alexis was just mounting his broom when Professor McGonagall came half-marching, half-running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone. Alexis's heart dropped like a stone.

"This match has been canceled," Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium. There were boos and shouts. Oliver Wood, looking devastated, landed and ran towards Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.

"But Professor!" he shouted. "We've got to play... the Cup... _Gryffindor_..."

Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout through her megaphone: "All students are to make their way back to the house common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"

Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned Alexis over to her.

"Miss Potter, I think you'd better come with me..."

Wondering how she could possibly suspect her this time, Alexis saw Ron, Eric, Sophie, and Neville detach themselves from the complaining crowd; they came running up to them as they set off towards the castle. To Alexis's surprise, Professor McGonagall didn't object.

"Yes, perhaps you four better come too." Then she raised her megaphone and asked for Gary and Luna to join them. When Ginny turned up also, Professor McGonagall let her come along too.

Some of the students swarming around them were grumbling about the match being canceled, others looked worried. The eight of them followed Professor McGonagall back into the school and up the marble staircase, but they weren't taken to anybody's office this time.

"This will be a bit of a shock," said Professor McGonagall in a surprisingly gentle voice as they approached the hospital wing. "There has been another attack... this time a triple attack."

Alexis's insides did a horrible somersault. Professor McGonagall pushed the door open and they entered. Madam Pomfrey was bending over a fifth-year girl with long curly hair. Alexis recognized her as Percy's girlfriend, though she didn't say so. And on the bed next to her was - "_Hermione!_" Ron groaned.

Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy. Alexis noticed the third person that had been petrified and gasped. Gary ran forward and burst into tears. "Why did you allow Beth to be attacked, God?" he cried, his voice full of anger and anguish.

Luna gently patted his back and whispered, "God has his reasons, Gary. And she'll be revived soon."

"They were found near the library," said Professor McGonagall. "I don't suppose any of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them..." She was holding up a small, circular mirror.

They shook their heads, staring at Hermione and Beth. Professors Flitwick and Sprout came in then.

"Miss Lovegood, I will escort you back to the Ravenclaw common room," squeaked Professor Flitwick.

"And I will escort you back to the Hufflepuff common room, Mr. Rawlins," said Professor Sprout.

"I will escort the rest of you back to Gryffindor Tower," said Professor McGonagall heavily. "I need to address the students in any case."

"All students will return to their house common rooms by six o'clock in the evening. No student is to leave the dormitories after that time. You will be escorted to each lesson by a teacher. No student is to use the bathroom unaccompanied by a teacher. All further Quidditch training and matches are to be postponed. There will be no more evening activities."

The Gryffindors in the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice, "I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."

She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately.

"That's two Gryffindors down, not counting a Gryffindor ghost, two Ravenclaws and one Hufflepuff," said the Weasley twins' friend Lee Jordan, counting on his fingers. "Haven't _any_ of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it _obvious_ all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The _Heir_ of Slytherin, the _monster_ of Slytherin - why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out?" he roared, to nods and scattered applause.

Percy Weasley was sitting in a chair behind Lee, but for once he didn't seem keen to make his views heard. He was looking pale and stunned.

"Percy's in shock," George told Alexis quietly. "That Ravenclaw girl - Penelope Clearwater - she's a Prefect. I don't think he thought the monster would dare attack a _Prefect._"

But Alexis was only half-listening. She didn't seem to be able to get rid of the picture of Hermione and Beth, lying on the hospital beds as though carved out of stone. And if the culprit wasn't caught soon, she was looking at a lifetime back with the Dursleys.

"What're we going to do?" asked Ron quietly. "D'you think they suspect Hagrid?"

"We've got to go and talk to him," said Alexis, making up her mind. "I can't believe it's him this time, but if he set the monster loose last time he'll know how to get inside the Chamber of Secrets, and that's a start."

"But McGonagall said we've got to stay in out tower unless we're in class -"

"I think," said Alexis, more quietly still, "it's time to get my dad's old Cloak out again."

Alexis had inherited just one thing from her father: a long silvery Invisibility Cloak. It was their only chance of sneaking out of the school to visit Hagrid without anyone knowing about it.

"But Alexis, are you sure?" asked Sophie. "You know Grandmother doesn't think Hagrid opened it last time."

"At the very least, he has to have some idea as to who could have opened it," said Alexis. "If you don't want to come, Sophie, that's fine. Besides, my dad's Cloak can only cover three and there's five of us. Six if Ginny wants comes along."

"You know perfectly well that I have an Invisbility Cloak of my own, Alexis Lily Potter!" retorted Sophie. "Eric and Neville can go under your cloak and Ron will go under mine. If Ginny wants to come along, she can join Ron and me."

Ginny did want to go along, so it was decided that as soon as their dormmates were asleep, they would all sneak out.

The journey through the dark and deserted castle corridors wasn't enjoyable. Alexis, who had wandered the castle at night several times before, had never seen it so crowded after sunset.

Teachers, Prefects and ghosts were marching the corridors in pairs, staring around for any unusual activity. Their Invisibility Cloaks didn't stop them making any noise, and there was a particularly tense moment when Ron stubbed his toe only yards from the spot where Snape was standing guard.

Thankfully, Snape sneezed at almost exactly the same moment Ron swore. It was with relief that they reached the oak front doors and eased them open.

It was a clear, starry night. They hurried towards the lighted windows of Hagrid's house, and pulled off the Cloaks only when they were right outside his front door.

Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face-to-face with him, aiming a crossbow at them, Fang the boarhound barking loudly behind him.

"Oh," he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you six doin' here?"

"What's that for?" asked A;exis, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside.

"Nothin'... nothin'... I'll make tea..."

He hardly seemed to know what he was doing.

He nearly extinguished the fire, spilling water from the kettle on it, and then smashed the teapot with a nervous jerk of his massive hand.

"Are you OK, Hagrid?" asked Ginny. "Did you hear about Hermione and Beth?"

"Oh, I heard, all righ'," said Hagrid, a slight break in his voice.

"Hagrid, Grandmother Sophia says that she doesn't think you opened the Chamber last time," said Eric.

Hagrid jumped, and then said, "Yer grandmother's right, Eric. I didn' open it."

"Well, do you have any idea who did?" asked Neville.

Hagrid shook his head and kept glancing nervously at the windows. He poured them both large mugs of boiling water (he had forgotten to add tea bags) and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate, when there was a loud knock on the door.

Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. The six of them exchanged panic-stricken looks, then threw the two Invisibility Cloaks back over themselves and retreated into a corner.

Hagrid checked that they were hidden, seized his crossbow and flung open his door once more.

"Good evening, Hagrid."

It was Dumbledore. He entered, looking deadly serious, and was followed by a second, very odd-looking man.

The stranger was a short, portly man with rumpled gray hair and an anxious expression. He was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pin-striped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.

"That's Dad's boss!" Ron breathed. "Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic!"

Sophie elbowed Ron to make him shut up.

Hagrid had gone pale and sweaty. He dropped into one of his chairs and looked from Dumbledore to Cornelius Fudge.

"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge, in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business. Had to come. Four attacks on Muggle-borns. Things've gone far enough. Ministry's got to act."

"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore, "you know I never, Professor Dumbledore, sir..."

"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.

"Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's record's against him. Ministry's got to do something - the school governors have been in touch."

"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore. his blue eyes were full of a fire Alexis had never seen before.

"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more said. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty -"

"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"

"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is caught, you'll be let out with a full apology..."

"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.

Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door. Dumbledore answered it. It was Alexis's turn for an elbow in the ribs: she'd let out an audible gasp.

Mr. Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile.

Fang started to growl.

"Already here, Fudge," he said approvingly. "Good, good..."

"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"

"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your- er- d'you call this a house?" said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin.

"I simply called at the school and was told that the Headmaster was here."

"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.

"_Dreadful_ thing, Dumbledore," said Mr. Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension- you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an_ awful_ loss that would be to the school."

"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended... no, no... last thing we want just now..."

"The appointment- or suspension- of the Headmaster is a matter for the governors, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks..."

"Now look, Lucius, if_ Dumbledore_ can't stop them-" said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, "I mean to say, who _can_?"

"That remains to be seen," said Mr. Malfoy, with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted..."

Hagrid leapt to his feet, his shaggy black head grazing the ceiling. "An' how many did yeh have ter threaten an' blackmail before they agreed, Malfoy, eh?" he roared.

"Dear, dear, you know, that temper of yours will lead you into trouble one of these days, Hagrid," said Mr. Malfoy. "I would advise you not to shout at the Azkaban guards like that. They won't like it at all."

"Yeh can' take Dumbledore!" yelled Hagrid, making Fang the boarhound cower and whimper in his basket. "Take him away, an' the Muggle-borns won' stand a chance! There'll be killin's next!"

"Calm yourself, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. he looked at Lucius Malfoy.

"If the governors want my removal, Lucius, I shall of course step aside."

"But-" stuttered Fudge.

"_No!_" growled Hagrid.

Dumbledore had not taken his bright blue eyes off Lucius Malfoy's cold gray ones.

"However," said Dumbledore, speaking very slowly and clearly, so that none of them could miss a word, "you will find that I will only _truly_ have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

For a second, Alexis was almost sure Dumbledore's eyes flickered towards the corner where she and her friends stood hidden.

"Admirable sentiments," said Malfoy, bowing. "We shall all miss your - er - highly individual way of running things, Albus, and only hope that your successor will manage to prevent any - ah - _'killin's'_."

He strode to the cabin door, opened it and bowed Dumbledore out. Fudge, fiddling with his bowler, waited for Hagrid to go ahead of him, but Hagrid stood his ground, took a deep breath and said carefully, "If anyone wanted ter find out some _stuff_, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the _spiders_. That'd lead 'em right! That's all I'm sayin'."

Fudge stared at him in amazement.

"All right, I'm comin'," said Hagrid, pulling on his moleskin overcoat. But as he was about to follow Fudge through the door, he stopped again and said loudly, "An' someone'll need ter feed Fang while I'm away."

The door banged shut and Ron pulled Sophie's Invisibility Cloak off.

"We're in trouble now," he said hoarsely. "No Dumbledore. They might as well close the school tonight. There'll be an attack a day with him gone."

Fang started howling, scratching at the closed door.


	15. Daphne's Disappearance

Author's Note: Sorry about the fact that this fic has been on hiatus. I was very busy for some time, and then I hit writer's block as I knew how I wanted this fic series to turn out, but didn't know how to exactly write it down in an interesting format. I tried several attempts at this chapter, and ended up metaphorically crumpling up each attempt (since I wrote this on my computer and not on real paper). This is the final result that pleased me, and I hope my readers like this. I will try to update more frequently, but I'm not making any promises.

Dumbledore's removal only lasted for a day before he returned to Hogwarts and resumed headmastership. Draco Malfoy looked extremely sulky, and Sophie explained, "Once Grandmum found out about Dumbledore's removal, she immediately exercised her influence. I don't know the full details, but apparently she blackmailed Mr. Malfoy into backing down, and once that happened, the other governors immediately asked Dumbledore to return. And Grandmother says that Mr. Malfoy will quite likely be sacked as school governor and she'll be offered the position, which she intends to accept this time. Apparently my grandfather was a governor before his death, but Grandmother had turned the position down when offered it then."

Gary looked like a ghost, minus the whole translucent pearly-white appearance. Having his twin being Petrified effected him greatly. He spoke very little, paid hardly any attention in class, only made token attempts at his homework, and just managed to choke down a few bites at mealtimes due to his friend David practically forcing him to eat. His housemates tried to help him, but David was the only one that had any affect, with Gary mainly ignoring everyone else. He didn't even talk to Alexis and her close friends, only allowing David, Luna, and Ginny to have any contact with him. Luna, with her unique way of looking at things, was the only person that could bring him out of his grief briefly and instill hope. Not that David and Ginny didn't try, but their attempts didn't really work, and they only managed to make sure he didn't do anything drastic, like try to get himself Petrified or starve himself to death.

Ernie apologized to Alexis in Herbology class, saying that he should have known that she wasn't the Heir of Slytherin, especially now that one of her best friends was Petrified. Alexis accepted the apology, but Ron didn't look quite so ready to forgive Ernie. Meanwhile, all the restrictions that Professor McGonagall had announced were strictly enforced.

Sophie, who had been on the lookout for spiders, finally found some scurrying away one Transfiguration class. She borrowed Alexis's invisibility cloak, as it was much better than hers, and took Ron and Neville with her. Alexis would have gone also, but Eric flatly refused to have Alexis where she might be in danger. This prompted their first major argument, with Alexis protesting that she was not some damsel-in-distress that needed to be rescued or shielded from unpleasant things. While she did not consider herself a feminist, she was for the equality of both genders, and didn't like women being given special treatment just because they were female. Even pointing out that she had faced Voldemort the previous year did not cause Eric to back down, and the argument only ended with Sophie saying that Eric couldn't come along either and for them to just try to find out what creature might be behind the attacks.

When the three returned, quite frightened and rather disheveled, Alexis and Eric had managed to rule out what creatures couldn't be responsilble for all the attacks. Sophie reported that there was a small colony of acromantula in the Forbidden Forest. Apparently Hagrid had gotten and hatched an acromantula egg back when the Chamber had first been opened. However, the acromantula, named Aragog, had been blamed as causing the attacks. Hagrid had protected Aragog, going so far as to install him in the Forbidden Forest and finding him a mate. While Aragog and his family never harmed Hagrid, they didn't see any reason to do the same with his friends. The only reason Sophie, Neville, and Ron had escaped was due to the fact that they had done the powerful version of the _Lumos_ spell, temporarily blinding the acromantulas.

After some more research in the next couple of weeks, they finally discovered that a basilisk had to be the one responsible for the attacks. As it was a giant snake, it explained why Alexis was the only one to hear the voice, and since none of the victims had looked it directly in the eye, other than Nearly-Headless Nick, who in any case couldn't die again, they had only been Petrified. Alexis and her friends immediately decided to notify Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall about the discovery, but before they could, it was announced that the Daphne Greengrass had fallen victim, this time being brought directly to the chamber. There was another message on a wall, which said simply, "Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever."

With this development, there was no choice but for the school to close. All the students would be sent home on the Hogwarts Express the next morning. Everyone was somber, and due to Daphne being taken, the Gryffindors that previously felt that one of the Slytherins was the culprit now were confused and uncertain. If a Slytherin had been taken, then it was entirely possible that the Heir of Slytherin could actually be in a different house.

Sophie burst into tears, saying. "It's partly my fault! Daphne has been acting funny all year, and we didn't do anything to help her! Okay, we did try, but she wouldn't talk to us. Maybe if I had persisted in finding out what was wrong and helped her, then none of this would have happened!"

Neville proceeded to put an arm around her and did his best to comfort her. Alexis paced the common room for several minutes, then turned to her friends and said, "I'm not going to sit here until we have to leave tomorrow. Something has to be done. I'm not letting Daphne die if there's a chance that I can rescue her. Let's see, the girl who died the last time was found in a bathroom, and it's conceivable that Moaning Myrtle is that person. I'll talk to her and try to get some more information. Then I am going to see if Daphne can be-"

"Absolutely not!" interrupted Eric, eyes wide. "I forbid you from doing anything that will get you in danger, Alexis!"

"Shut up!" snapped Alexis, whose worry about Daphne was causing her temper to fray. "Who do you think you are, Eric? You have absolutely no right to forbid me from doing anything!"

"Well, I'm your boyfriend!" retorted Eric. "I care about you and don't want you getting hurt, Alexis! So that's why I forbid you from-"

"I repeat, you have no right to forbid me to do anything! You do not own me, Eric Amycus Carrow! I am not your house-elf, whom you can order around. If I want to do something potentially dangerous in order to save a friend, I will, and you can't stop me. So shut up or I'll hex you into next century."

"But Alexis! Can't you just let me handle it? I'll go figure out a way to rescue Daphne. Please just stay here where you'll be safe."

At this point, Alexis completely lost her temper. "I am not staying here! I will go rescue Daphne! I'm pretty sure that the ability to speak Parseltongue is needed to open the Chamber, and I'm the only one with the ability to do so. As for you, Eric, you can chose to come with me or not, but I have had it up to here with your overprotectiveness. I am not some damsel-in-distress who needs a knight in shining armor to come through and shield me from harm. As of right now, we are through as girlfriend and boyfriend. We will only be platonic friends now."

Eric hastily backtracked and tried to apologize, but Alexis wouldn't listen. She instead got her Invisibility Cloak, while Sophie got hers. Eric apologized again, and this time Alexis accepted it, but made it clear that they still weren't together at the moment. After making sure that the other Gryffindors were distracted with their own things, the five of them slipped out of the common room under the cloaks, intending to find Lockhart, tell him about the basilisk, and force him to help them in rescuing Daphne.

Author's Note: Alexis and Eric's break-up is only temporary. I have it planned out for them to be together forever. However, since they are only twelve, it would be odd for them to be together ever since Valentine's Day. Therefore, they have split up, and will go out with other people before they realize that they really are meant for each other and that their crush had blossomed into love.


End file.
